2 Men Charged in Woman’s Drug-induced Death

The following is based on information received from a law enforcement agency. The person(s) named is innocent until proven otherwise in court.
COURT HOUSE – The arrests of Francis Leszczynski, 79, and Paul Neville, 59, both of Lower Township, on first-degree charges of strict liability for drug-induced death, were announced Jan. 18 by Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland and Cape May Police Chief Anthony Marino.
According to a release, on July 30, 2018, Cape May police responded to a 911 call of an unresponsive female in the 700 block of Grand Avenue, West Cape May.
When officers arrived, they found Susan Perkins, 59, on the floor next to her bed. Rescue efforts were started in an attempt to resuscitate her but they were unsuccessful.
A joint investigation was conducted by the County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and the Detective Unit of the Cape May City Police Department.
An autopsy was conducted by the Southern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office.
It was determined that Perkins’ death was from the effects of ingesting heroin and fentanyl.
During the course of the investigation, it was determined that both Leszczynski and Neville were allegedly responsible for selling and facilitated getting the heroin that Perkins ingested.
As a result, on Jan. 17, both Leszczynski and Neville were arrested and charged with strict liability for drug-induced death.
Neville was also charged with hindering apprehension, a third-degree crime.
Both men were subsequently lodged in the county Correctional Facility pending court proceedings.
Sutherland and Marino recognized the efforts of all law enforcement involved in the investigation which resulted in the arrest of the men who were allegedly distributing heroin and fentanyl in Cape May County.