Rahway Man Indicted For Dealing Fentanyl-Laced Crack, Killing 3

RAHWAY, NJ — A Rahway man has been indicted for dealing fentanyl-laced crack cocaine that killed three people and hospitalized numerous others in Union County during the span of one day late last year, acting Union County Prosecutor Michael A. Monahan announced.

George Rayford, 38, of the 1200 block of Whelan Place is charged with three counts of strict liability for a drug-induced death, a first-degree crime, as well as four counts of second-degree drug distribution within 500 feet of a public park and six related lesser drug distribution and possession offenses.

On Dec. 22 Rayford distributed the deadly quantities of drugs out of his Rahway home and by the end of the night three Rahway residents had overdosed and died, according to Union County Homicide Task Force Supervisor Michael Henn, who is prosecuting the case.

The victims were 41-year-old Nicole Taylor, 53-year-old Kacina Vanderburg and 67-year-old Harold Johnston, Henn said.

An unknown number of other people also overdosed on the drugs that night, but survived.

The six-week investigation was initiated by the Rahway Police Department and Detective James Crowell, and expanded to involve the Homicide Task Force, Union County Sheriff's Office, and Woodbridge Police Department.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is much more powerful than heroin, was found in the toxicology of fewer than 20 percent of Union County’s fatal overdose victims in 2015, but that figure jumped to more than 70 percent in 2017, according to Monahan.

This case marked one of the first times local law enforcement encountered the drug mixed with cocaine, Monahan said.

Rayford was arrested at his home without incident in February and lodged in Union County Jail. He faces 10 to 20 years in state prison on the first-degree criminal charges.

Anyone with information about this matter still is being urged to contact Detective Crowell at 732-827- 2115 or Prosecutor’s Office Detective Nicholas Falcicchio at 908-721- 8186.

(Image via Union County Prosecutor's Office: George Rayford, 38, of the 1200 block of Whelan Place in Rahway)

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