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Shannon McGuigan, 36, of Pemberton Township must serve 85 percent of the term before becoming eligible for parole under the sentence handed down Friday, April 29 in Superior Court in Mount Holly, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina.
McGuigan was found guilty in March of strict liability for a drug-induced death and several other drug charges, Coffina said.
In a separate case, McGuigan pleaded guilty Friday to a single count of cocaine possession, for which she'll serve a four-year sentence concurrently, the prosecutor said.
“We appreciate the Court recognizing the seriousness of the defendant’s crime and we hope that a significant sentence like this one will give people pause about selling dangerous drugs to others,” Coffina said.
An investigation began on May 30, 2017, after the decedent, 25, was discovered in her Pemberton Township home by her mother. An autopsy performed by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood indicated the cause of death was due to heroin and fentanyl toxicity. The investigation revealed that the victim purchased drugs from McGuigan a short time before she fatally overdosed, Coffina said.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Laura Heisman. The investigation was conducted by the Pemberton Township Police Department. The lead investigator was retired Pemberton Township Police Lt. Brian Smith, who is now a Prosecutor’s Agent with the BCPO.
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