Atlantic City, NJ – William Jenkins, 28, of Atlantic City, pleaded guilty on Monday to first-degree strict liability for causing a drug-induced death, third-degree distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, and fourth-degree unlawful possession of a prohibited weapon. Jenkins is expected to be sentenced to 11 years in New Jersey State Prison, subject to the No Early Release Act, which requires an 85% period of parole ineligibility. Following his release, he will be under intensive parole supervision for five years.
The charges stem from an incident on July 5, 2023, when investigators found a 44-year-old male, identified as B.F., unresponsive with a syringe in his arm in a parked vehicle in Atlantic City. Nine folds of fentanyl were recovered from the vehicle, and an autopsy confirmed that B.F. died from fentanyl intoxication. The investigation revealed that Jenkins had sold the fentanyl to B.F.
On July 13, 2023, Jenkins was arrested following an undercover purchase of fentanyl. During the transaction, Jenkins provided the undercover detective with a can of Narcan and boasted about the potency of the fentanyl. He also admitted to selling fentanyl to B.F., who subsequently overdosed. Investigators found a long straight-blade knife in Jenkins’ pocket at the time of his arrest.
The case was prosecuted and investigated by the Gangs, Guns, and Narcotics Unit of the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, with assistance from the Atlantic City Police Department. Jenkins remains incarcerated in the Atlantic County Justice Facility pending his sentencing, expected in September 2024.
