Teen enters guilty plea in drug overdose death case

Prosecutor says the 17-year-old sold his deceased grandfather’s prescription Oxycodone pills.

By: Melissa Edmond
   A Hillsborough teenager pleaded guilty Friday to selling drugs to 21-year-old Charles Daino that resulted in Mr. Daino’s death in August.
   According to Somerset County Prosecutor Wayne J. Forrest, the 17-year-old, referred to only as A.J. because of his age, sold Charles Daino his deceased grandfather’s prescription Oxycodone pills on Aug. 3. Oxycodone is a narcotic analgesic used to treat moderate to severe pain.
   "Later that evening, Mr. Daino crushed all of the pills he had purchased from A.J. and poured them into a cup of water, which he then drank in its entirety," said Mr. Forrest. "The victim fell asleep around 10:30 p.m. and awoke around midnight with difficulty breathing and unable to speak."
   Mr. Forrest said that Mr. Daino lost consciousness despite efforts by his girlfriend and the Hillsborough Rescue Squad to revive him. He was dead when police arrived at his Bloomingdale Drive residence on Aug. 4.
   Mr. Forrest said an autospy showed a multi-drug toxicity caused Mr. Daino’s death and confirmed that he had ingested a significant amount of Oxycodone.
   The medical examiner said that the amount of the painkiller in his system was enough to have caused Mr. Daino’s death.
   Police found the prescription bottle for the Oxycodone at A.J.’s Kender Court residence along with the money Mr. Daino had given him, and a pipe used to smoke marijuana, according to Mr. Forrest.
   A.J. pleaded guilty to charges of strict liability for drug-induced death, distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of narcotics paraphernalia in the Superior Court in Somerville.
   No date has been set for sentencing yet, but he could be sentenced to up to four years in a secure juvenile facility when the hearing is held.