Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on August 5, 2022, Dandre Tubbs, 34, of Manchester, was sentenced by the Honorable Lisa A. Puglisi, J.S.C., to seven years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP) as a result of his previously entered guilty plea to Manslaughter in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4b, in connection with the death of a 35 year-old male in Manchester on August 16, 2021. This sentence will be subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act, N.J.S.A. 2C:43-7.2, meaning that Tubbs will be required to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence before he may be considered for parole eligibility. Judge Puglisi also sentenced Tubbs to seven years NJSP as a result of his guilty plea to Distribution of Fentanyl in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(5), in connection with the same incident. Additionally, Judge Puglisi sentenced Tubbs to four years NJSP as a result of his guilty plea to an unrelated charge of Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5b(5). The sentences will run concurrently. Tubbs pled guilty to all charges before Judge Puglisi on June 13, 2022.
On August 16, 2021, Officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to a residence for a report of an unresponsive 35 year-old male. Upon arrival, the 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 and Manchester Township Police Department Detective Bureau determined that Tubbs supplied fentanyl to the victim on August 15, 2021. A toxicology report confirmed the presence of fentanyl in the victim’s system. Based upon this toxicology analysis, the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the fentanyl found in the victim’s system were the cause of his death.
On August 19, 2021, Tubbs was arrested by Officers of the Manchester Township Police Department during a motor vehicle stop. He has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since the date of his arrest.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Kristin Pressman and Assistant Prosecutor Victoria Veni 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, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, Manchester Township Police Department Detective Bureau, Manchester Township Police Department Narcotics Enforcement Team, Manchester Township Police Department K-9 Unit, Manchester Township Police Department Patrol Division, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, for their combined and collaborative efforts in connection with this investigation, leading to Tubbs’ guilty pleas and now his state prison sentence.