OCEAN COUNTY — Two Brick Township men have been charged with drug offenses following an investigation into the overdose death of a 27-year-old woman earlier this week, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
Roderick Seward, 30, was charged Jan. 26 with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in an amount under one-half ounce, simple possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Authorities said the charges stem from a probe into the woman’s death, which occurred the same day in Brick Township.
In the same investigation, Santino Giunta, 29, also of Brick Township, was charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Police responded to a 911 call on Jan. 26 reporting an unconscious woman. Officers arrived to find her deceased, with investigators determining the death appeared to be the result of a drug overdose, according to the prosecutor’s office.
A joint investigation involving the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and Narcotics Strike Force, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Brick Township Police Department concluded that Seward and Giunta had supplied cocaine to the victim, authorities said.
Later that day, detectives conducted surveillance on Seward, who was stopped by Brick Township police during a motor vehicle stop. He was arrested without incident and taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains held pending a detention hearing.
Giunta was also stopped by police and taken into custody without incident. He was served with the charge by complaint-summons and is awaiting a first appearance in Ocean County Superior Court.
Following the arrests, investigators executed a court-authorized search warrant at Seward’s residence, where they seized suspected cocaine and other white powdery substances, a digital scale, and packaging materials consistent with drug distribution, officials said.
The investigation remains ongoing and additional charges are possible, Billhimer said. He also praised the multiple agencies involved for their coordinated efforts.
The charges are accusations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
