Crime & Safety

Ocean County Man Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter, Heroin Possession In Drug-Induced Death

An Ocean County man pleaded guilty to manslaughter and possession of heroin in connection with the drug-induced death of a 27-year-old Lacey resident.

The sentencing for Kenneth Staunton, 33, of Lacey is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 10, according to  Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato.

At the time of his sentencing, the state will be seeking 8 years, with no early release, for the manslaughter charge, and 4 years concurrent for the heroin possession charge.

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Coronato said Staunton’s guilty plea "is only the beginning - there’s still a lot of work to be done to stem the tide of overdose deaths in Ocean County.

"What’s significant is we’ve now sent a strong message to dealers, that we’ve coming for you," he said. "My office will be relentless in tracking down and prosecuting dealers who choose to profit by ignoring the tragic consequences of their actions.”    

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Staunton’s charges stem from an investigation which began on January 6, 2013 regarding Staunton’s Heroin dealing activities. 

At that time detectives were actively building intelligence on Staunton’s area of operation, clients, and his stamped product. This would all prove significant in linking Staunton to Raymond Farino’s overdose death, the prosecutor's office said.

On Jan. 16, at approximately 2 p.m., the Lacey Police Department responded to a Forked River residence, for a reported drug overdose. Upon arrival they found Farino lying on the floor in the dining room. 

According to the prosecutor's office:

After accessing Farino’s condition, it was determined that he no longer had a pulse and was not breathing.  CPR was initiated until members of the Lacey Township First Aid Squad and Monoc Paramedics arrived on scene and continued treatment. Farino was subsequently transported Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he was pronounced dead. 

During the course of the investigation, detectives located several wax paper folds containing white powder and stamped “IL CAPO” in green letters on Farino’s person.  The “IL CAPO” stamped product and additional investigative evidence provided a direct link to Kenneth Staunton as the dealer who supplied Farino.

His arrest would later lead to his indictment on March 8.


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