Accused On-The-Run Toms River Drug Distributor In Heroin Death Is Caught

A Toms River man has been arrested in North Carolina in connection with the heroin-induced death of a township woman, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato and Toms River Police Chief Mitch Little announced Friday.

Paul E. Robinson, 24, who was wanted in connection with the Feb. 6, 2013 heroin-induced death of Jamie Caravella, 23, in Toms River, was charged on Monday along with, Rufus A. Young, 41, of Freehold and Pedro A. Valentin Jr, 23, of Perth Amboy.

Young and Valentin were served arrest warrants and they're currently in custody, police said.    

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office:

The charges against Robinson, Young, and Valentin stem from an investigation that began on February 6, 2013 at 5:07 a.m. when the Toms River Police Department received a 911 telephone call informing them of an unresponsive woman at a Pine Crest Drive address in Toms River.

Toms River Police Officer Ronald Bayer arrived at the location to find Caravella lying on the floor of a bedroom in the residence not breathing, and with no pulse. Empty bags of heroin and a needle were found near Caravella.

Emergency personnel arrived on scene and the victim was pronounced dead at approximately 5:27 a.m. via telephone with Newark Beth Israel Hospital.

On Feb. 7, 2013, a postmortem examination was conducted by the Office of the Ocean County Medical Examiner. The autopsy provided a "critical" piece of evidence needed to solidify the charges against Young, Valentin, and Robinson, according to the prosecutor's office.

The medical examiner found the cause of death was a negative reaction to heroin, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

Young, Valentin, and Robinson are charged with first-degree drug induced death and second-degree Manslaughter.

Young was served by Ocean County Prosecutor Det. John Carroll and Toms River Ptl. Andy Chenchirk with his arrest warrant on Tuesday at approximately 3 p.m. in the Monmouth County Correctional Facility. Young has been incarcerated there since March 27 on violations of federal narcotic charges. 

Valentin was arrested Tuesday, with the help of the Perth Amboy Special Investigations Bureau, at approximately 9:30 p.m. at 156 Gordon Street in Perth Amboy.

Robinson fled the state and was arrested at approximately 6:30 p.m. by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in Mebane, N.C. The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office will immediately begin extradition proceedings. 

Bail for all three on the charges has been set at $200,000, cash only.

Coronato and Little said they extend their "sincere thanks" to the North Carolina Orange County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance in quickly apprehending Robinson, and "to the many good citizens who responded to our call for information by supplying critical information leading to Robinson’s arrest."      

The Major Crimes Unit of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the Special Enforcement Team (SET) of the Toms River Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Criminalistics Investigation Unit all contributed to the investigation culminating in the charges filed against Robinson, Young, and Valentin.