An Egg Harbor Township man charged with causing the 2016 overdose death another township man already had three indictable drug arrests before he allegedly made the fatal sale, court records show.
But, Jamal Campos was still set to go into drug court, his attorney, John Maher, told the judge during a detention hearing Thursday. That's despite a fourth arrest last September and — according to court records — two bench warrants from missed court dates.
Now, instead of appearing before Drug Court Judge Mark Sandson on Monday, all five cases will go before Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury, who on Thursday ordered the defendant held pending trial.
Campos was arrested early Tuesday morning at Atlantic City's Bayview Inn & Suites, where he had access to all 80 rooms, including ones where drugs were found, Assistant Prosecutor Rick McKelvey said. That included two bricks of heroin.
Text messages show Campos was the leader of a drug-trafficking ring, setting prices and ordering others on sales.
The 25-year-old faces a possible life sentence if convicted on that charge,
He also is charged under the strict-liability homicide statute that makes someone responsible for giving drugs to a person who then dies from them.
In texts, Adam O'Gara talked to Campos about meeting up for drugs, McKelvey told the judge.
There are then texts when O'Gara arrived for the pickup, and after, when he accused Campos of cheating him on the amount given.
The man died April 21, 2016, less than two months after Campos' third drug arrest, and less than five months before his last one Sept. 2, 2016.
