Full Notification

At 4:04 AM on Wednesday, April 12, 2017, the Burlington Township Police Department was dispatched to a medical emergency at a residence within Building 7 of the Sunset Heights Apartment complex located at 1130 Sunset Road in Burlington, NJ. Upon arrival, officers located an unresponsive 35 year old male, who was later pronounced deceased on the scene from a heroin overdose.

Members of the Burlington Township Police Department Investigations Bureau initiated an aggressive investigation, during which they identified Jose M. Laporte, Jr. (24 y/o male from Camden, NJ) as the dealer who sold the heroin that led to the victim’s death. At approximately 12:17 PM on Friday, April 14, 2017, BTPD detectives located and arrested Laporte in the parking of 1107 Sunset Road in Burlington, NJ. They were assisted in this arrest by detectives from the Willingboro Police Department.

Laporte was charged with Strict Liability Drug Induced Death, Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of Heroin. He was lodged in Burlington County Jail pending an initial hearing.

The Burlington Township Police Department recognizes the dreadful menace that opiate addiction presents within this state and others. We are committed to identifying any person who seeks to profit by preying on the addictions of others, and we will exhaust all investigative efforts to ensure they are held accountable under law.