Indictment: South Toms River Woman Supplied Drugs Man OD'd On

A South Toms River woman has been indicted for the second time in two weeks by an Ocean County grand jury -- this time on charges she supplied the drugs that led to a man’s overdose death.

Jeana Ganun, 35, was indicted Wednesday on 10 charges in the death of Eric Mills on May 29, 2013, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said in a news release.

Ganun was already indicted Nov. 21 on charges she took inappropriate photos of children and then tried to frame her husband as the one responsible for the photos.

“This is the 17th individual charged with strict liability in just over a year. Eleven have already entered guilty pleas and I assure you there will be others,” Coronato said. “Those who cause the death of another by distributing dangerous drugs will pay a steep price for their actions. My resolve is strengthened with each successful prosecution. The Office of the Ocean County Prosecutor will do all in its power to protect those suffering from the tragic consequences of drug addiction.”

Ganun was indicted on one count of first-degree drug-induced death, one count of third-degree distribution of oxycodone, one count of second-degree witness tampering, three counts of third degree terroristic threats, one count of third-degree aggravated assault on a police officer, and two counts of third-degree resisting arrest, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

The witness tampering, aggravated assault and terroristic threats charges arose from a June 14, 2013 incident where, following Ganun’s release on bail in the Mills case, she threatened individuals in connection to it, and then resisted arrest and assaulted South Toms River Patrolman Michael Schneidt when he tried to arrest her, Della Fave said.

In the indictment handed up today, South Toms River police were called to a Baylor Street home just after 8 p.m. on May 29, 2013, for a medical emergency. There they found Mills unconscious and not breathing. Police and the South Toms River First Aid Squat administered CPR and took Mills to Community Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m., Della Fave said. South Toms River police officers observed signs of a drug overdose and called the prosecutor’s office’s Major Crimes Unit and the county sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Unit. The investigation led officers to Ganun and linked her to Mills death, Della Fave said.

Evidence found during the autopsy by the Ocean County medical examiner, who ruled Mills died of a negative prescription drug reaction, solidified the charges, Della Fave said.

Ganun is being held in the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, in lieu of $110,000 in the charges related to Mills’ death, and an additional $200,000 bail on charges related to the attempt to frame her husband with the photos of the child, Della Fave said.

The case was investigated by Ocean County Prosecutor Det. John Murphy and South Toms River Police Department Det. Timothy Meier. The Major Crimes Unit of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the South Toms River Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department all contributed to the investigation culminating in the arrest of Ganun. This case is being prosecuted by Ocean County Assistant Prosecutor Kristin L. Pressman.