Man Convicted In Fatal Overdose Of Delran Man: Prosecutor

A Camden man has been found guilty of homicide and other charges in connection with the fatal overdose of a Delran man he sold heroin to, Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced.

The jury deliberated over three days before finding 25-year-old Jose LaPorte guilty of first-degree strict liability for drug-induced death, third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, two counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute and third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.

Sung Han, 35, died in his home during the early morning hours of April 12. An investigation determined that he died of an overdose, and that LaPorte had sold him the heroin, police said. Burlington Township police arrested LaPorte on April 14 when they say they found him in possession of heroin. LaPorte has been detained in the Burlington County Jail since his arrest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 23.

“We are gratified by the jury’s verdict and appreciate the outstanding job by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and Burlington Township detectives and officers who investigated this case, and by Assistant Prosecutor Keith Carmy in presenting it at trial,” Coffina said. “With over 130 overdose deaths in our County in 2017, law enforcement will be putting an ever greater emphasis on investigating fatal overdoses as potential crime scenes and we will pursue prosecutions under the strict liability, drug-induced-death homicide statute whenever the evidence supports it. Meanwhile, today our thoughts are with the family of Sung Han, and we hope that the jury’s verdict gives them some degree of comfort.”

The case was investigated by the Burlington Township Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit, with assistance from the Willingboro Township Police Department. The lead investigator was Burlington Township Police Detective Anthony Fontana.

Read more here: Man Indicted In Fatal Overdose Of Delran Man

The attached image of Jose LaPorte was provided by the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office