A drug dealer in Burlington County who sold an Evesham man heroin laced with fentanyl in November of 2015 pleads guilty to homicide in Superior Court Tuesday, according to the BC Prosecutors Office.

Under a plea deal Leonard Hicks, 37, will spend 10-years in a New Jersey state prison in exchange for admitting he's guilty of Strict Liability for the Drug-Induced Death (First Degree) charge.

Under the state's No Early Release Act, Hicks must serve 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

He admitted before the Hon. Terrence R. Cook, J.S.C., that he sold heroin to the 26-year-old Marlton victim, who was found dead in his apartment by Evesham Police officers responding to a call from a friend to conduct a wellness check on November 29, 2015.

An investigation found that Hicks delivered the heroin to the victim's apartment and was paid $200.00 for the drugs.

Toxicology tests ordered by Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood found that heroin and fentanyl caused the fatal overdose.

Sentencing is set for July 20. Hicks remains free on $200,000 bail.

The case is being prosecuted by Burlington County Assistant Prosecutor Jeremy Lackey.

The investigation was conducted by Evesham Police detectives and those from the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office.

It was a big bust for Evesham Detective Justin Graff who has since been promoted to lieutenant.

More From WOBM:

More From Beach Radio