FREEHOLD – Under New Jersey law, a dealer who provides the drugs that someone uses to overdose can be brought up on charges because they were responsible for that person’s death.
Lateef Reevey, 31, of Long Branch, was sentenced to six years in New Jersey State Prison for the fatal overdose of Lucy Yardley, 25, of Flanders, who died on February 21, 2020.
Reevey’s charge is subject to the No Early Release Act, which means he must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole. He also received a 5 year term for an unrelated charge of conspiracy to possess a controlled dangerous substance.
Yardley had been found dead of an overdose in a motel room. Police learned that she had talked to Reevey recently. He was found in the parking lot of the same motel the day after she died. He had heroin and cocaine on him packaged for sale. It would later be found that Yardley had died from heroin.
Reevey had two cell phones on him. When he saw police approach, he broke the one that he had spoken to Yardley on, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said.
