A Little Falls doctor was indicted on strict liability homicide charges in connection with the drug overdose death of a Clifton NJ man.

The suspect is a 77-year-old doctor who works in Little Falls, NJ. According to authorities, the suspect sold medication to drug addicts and drug dealers even though he knew that they had drug problems.

The suspect reportedly prescribed oxycodone to a 26-year-old Clifton man in 2014. The suspect then died due to a prescription drug overdose. The victim’s mother later told detectives that she explicitly warned the suspect to not prescribe painkillers to her son.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) started an investigation into the suspect and allegedly discovered that he was prescribing oxycodone to patients without a clear medical need for the medication.

After the suspect allegedly sold painkillers to an undercover DEA agent, he was arrested.

The suspect’s wife was also arrested and charged because she reportedly conspired with the suspect to prescribe opioids to the victim and others.

Now the suspect and his wife face significant penalties. A grand jury recently indicted the pair on several charges, including strict liability homicide, prescription drug distribution, conspiracy, money laundering, and tax fraud.

If the doctor is ultimately convicted under the New Jersey strict liability statute, he could be sentenced to as many as 20 years in NJ State Prison.

For more information about this case, see the NJ.com article, “N.J. Doctor Charged in Opioid Overdose Death of Patient.”