Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on December 2, 2022, Shemar Jackson, 22, of Galloway Township, was sentenced by the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P., to seven years New Jersey State Prison as a result of his previously entered guilty plea to Strict Liability Drug Induced Death. This sentence will be subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act, meaning that Jackson will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence before he may be considered for parole eligibility. Jackson pled guilty to the charge before the Honorable Lisa A. Puglisi, J.S.C., on August 22, 2022.
On December 5, 2019, Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department responded to a Toms River residence for a report of a 24 year-old unresponsive male. Upon arrival, responding Officers discovered that the male was already deceased from an apparent drug overdose.
A subsequent investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, and Toms River Township Police Department, revealed that Jackson was the supplier of heroin and fentanyl that were distributed to the victim on December 4, 2019. Further investigation and laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of heroin and fentanyl in the victim’s system, which caused the victim’s death. On January 23, 2020, Jackson was arrested at his residence in Galloway Township by Officers of the Galloway Township Police Department and Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office. Jackson was initially lodged in the Ocean County Jail, but subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform. He has been serving a sentence on an unrelated offense in New Jersey State Prison since November 2021.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Kristin Pressman and Assistant Prosecutor Kaitlyn Burke who handled the case on behalf of the State, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Strike Force, Toms River Township Police Department, Barnegat Township Police Department Crime Reduction Unit, Galloway Township Police Department, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, for their collective efforts in connection with this investigation leading to Jackson’s apprehension, guilty plea, and now his state prison sentence.