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Randy Lantigua, 26, of Lodi, was arrested on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2025, and charged with strict liability for drug-induced death in connection with the incident that killed James White in April 2024, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
On April 6, 2024, Lodi Police responded to a 911 call reporting an unresponsive man inside a private residence, officials said. Responding officers found White dead in a bedroom, showing signs of a possible drug overdose, Musella said. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotic Task Force was notified, and a joint investigation with the Lodi Police Department began.
Detectives later determined that Lantigua distributed narcotics to White, leading to his initial May 21, 2024, arrest on five drug-related charges, prosecutors said. A continued investigation revealed that the substances White ingested contained fentanyl and xylazine, which led to his death, officials said.
Lantigua now faces a first-degree charge of strict liability for drug-induced death, a law that holds drug distributors accountable for fatal overdoses, prosecutors said.
Prosecutor Musella thanked the Lodi Police Department and the Garfield Police Department, which assisted in the investigation through the Bergen County Narcotic Task Force.
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