A 35-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with a drug-induced death and drug offenses following an investigation by authorities in Bergen County.

Terry Redfern, 35, of Paterson, was charged with first-degree strict liability for drug-induced death and two counts of third-degree distribution of fentanyl. He was arrested last Tuesday with assistance from the Port Authority Police Department and New Jersey State Police. Redfern was taken into custody and transported to the Bergen County Jail, where he is being held pending a first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.

The charges stem from a May 3, 2023, incident in which Elmwood Park police responded to a medical emergency at a motel on Route 46. Officers found a 42-year-old Bergen County man unresponsive and later pronounced dead at the scene. Indicators of a possible drug overdose were observed, prompting an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotic Task Force.

Authorities determined that the victim had ingested a controlled dangerous substance containing fentanyl. Following months of investigation, detectives alleged that Redfern distributed the fatal dose.

The investigation was conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Matthew Finck and the Elmwood Park Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Foligno.