Steven Smith is facing up to six years in prison
NEWTON -- A 30-year-old man has admitted to supplying the heroin responsible for a fatal overdose in Wantage two years ago, authorities said.
Steven Smith of Wantage pleaded guilty in Sussex County Superior Court on Tuesday to first-degree strict liability for a drug-induced death in connection with the overdose death of a victim identified by the initials B.A. on Aug. 21, 2015, Sussex County Assistant Prosecutor Brent Rafuse said.
In his plea, Smith said he supplied the victim with heroin through co-defendant Edward Bochinski, Rafuse said.
Smith agreed to serve a sentence of six years in state prison subject to the No Early Release Act as part of his plea. He's scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 12, 2018.
Another co-defendant, Theodore Robins, wasn't charged in the fatal overdose but he's facing separate charges of heroin possession and distribution, Rafuse said.
Both Bochinski and Robins cases are scheduled to be heard on Monday but they may be resolved before then, the assistant prosecutor said.
The charge of strict liability for a drug-induced death has become more popular with prosecutors in the past few years as part of the state attorney general's office's recommendation to combat the opioid crisis.
Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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