An Avon-by-the-Sea man will be prosecuted under the state’s strict liability law, placing the responsibility on him for the heroin overdose death of a man at a Rumson drug rehabilitation transitional center, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced on Aug. 22.
Michael Renna, 25, of Sylvania Avenue in Avon, is charged with one count of first-degree strict liability for drug-induced deaths and one count of third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance.
Renna is being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold Township, on $210,000 bail with no 10 percent option.
According to a press release from the prosecutor’s office, Renna is charged in connection with the October 2013 overdose death of Christopher L. Pesce, 25, a resident of Oxford House, a drug rehabilitation transitional house located in Rumson.
Rumson police responded to Oxford House, 61 South Ward Ave., on Oct. 13, 2013, at approximately 8:15 p.m., where officers located the deceased victim.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding Pesce’s death, and toxicology results obtained during a postmortem examination concluded that Pesce’s death was caused by acute heroin toxicity, the press release states.
In conjunction with the prosecutor’s office, Rumson police continued the investigation and ultimately determined the victim allegedly obtained the fatal doses of heroin from Renna, an acquaintance, in Asbury Park, on the night of Oct. 12, 2013, leading to the charges filed against him, according to the prosecutor’s office.
The penalty for strict liability for drug induced deaths is a maximum sentence of 20 years in a state prison, subject to the provisions of the No Early Release Act requiring the person convicted to serve 85 percent of the sentence imposed before becoming eligible for parole.
The sentence for conviction of distribution of a controlled dangerous substance is a maximum of five years in a state prison.
Anyone with information related to this investigation should contact Detective Christopher Isherwood of the Rumson Police Department at 732-842-0500 or Detective Kevin Condon of the prosecutor’s office at 800- 533-7443.

