HBO Producer Pleads Guilty To Moving Kiersten Cerveny's Body After Drug Overdose

An Emmy-nominated HBO producer pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges related to helping to move the body of a Long Island dermatologist after she died from a drug overdose in October 2015, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York.

Marc Johnson, 52, pleaded guilty to acting as an accessory after the fact for helping to move the unresponsive body of Kiersten Cerveny, 38, of Manhasset, into the lobby of a Chelsea apartment building after the two were partying and doing drugs the night before, authorities say.

"Marc Henry Johnson’s immediate response to seeing a dying overdose victim should have been to summon help," Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said in a press release. "Instead, Johnson helped his cocaine dealer cover up the drug crime by moving the victim’s body."

On Sunday, Oct. 4, police responded to a call for a woman who was unconscious and unresponsive in the the doorway of the 223 West 16th St. building at 8:32 a.m. The night before, authorities say Johnson sent text messages saying he "may go to Pepsi for a pickup" "in chelsea," and later met up with Cerveny in Manhattan. Johnson told Cerveny, who had already been using cocaine before meeting Johnson, that he had a significant amount of cocaine and offered to share, authorities say.

Johnson and Cerveny left the bar together in a taxi and arrived at the Chelsea building where James Holder, known as "Pepsi," 61, lived and walked upstairs to his third-floor apartment at 4:25 a.m.

Hours later, video surveillance footage shows Johnson and Holder dragging Cerveny's apparently unconscious body into the building's first-floor vestibule, authorities say. Holder then left the building and was seen carrying an object as he walked away.

At 8:30 a.m., Johnson called 911 and declined to say his name, identify Cerveny or describe the relationship he had with her, nor did he explain what happened to her or why she needed medical assistance, authorities say. Responders arrived at the apartment building's vestibule and Johnson left the building soon after the EMTs arrived.

Cerveny was later pronounced dead at Lenox Health Greenwich Village. Authorities say her death was caused by cocaine use, among other things. She was married with three children.

“As alleged, ‎[Johnson and Holder's] apparent disregard for a victim of this poison is frankly, unimaginable," NYPD Commissioner William J. Bratton said in a 2016 press release from the U.S. Attorney General.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said Holder and Johnson are longtime friends and Johnson regularly bought cocaine from Holder. Johnson also introduced Holder to many people who would buy cocaine from him, according to authorities.

Residents in the apartment building told the Daily News that Cerveny has been “coming and going” for the past year. Holder moved out of his Chelsea apartment following Cerveny's death but authorities say he continued to sell cocaine in Manhattan until at least January 2016.

Holder and Johnson were arrested on May 25, 2016 on drug trafficking charges. Holder was charged with conspiracy to distribute at least 5 kilograms of cocaine while Johnson was charged with attempting to distribute cocaine and acting as an accessory after the fact in relation to the conspiracy charge against Holder.

Johnson's guilty plea for the acting as an accessory after the fact to the offense of maintaining a drug-involved premises offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Holder pleaded guilty in December to maintaining a drug-involved premises (selling drugs in his apartment), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Holder and Johnson will be sentenced on May 4 and June 26, respectively.

Cerveny, formerly Rickenbach, married Dr. K. Andrew Cerveny in Dec. 2009, according to the couple’s New York Times wedding announcement. Cerveny graduated magna cum laude from Duke and received a medical degree from Tulane, the announcement said.

A reader told Patch that she and her daughter went to see Cerveny as their doctor a few times. She said Cerveny was “sweet and kind to her patients.”

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