Robert Pfaff Jr.
A Lower Township man is accused of providing the drugs that led to his adult son's deadly overdose.
Robert Pfaff Jr., 61, faces charges including first-degree strict liability drug-induced death, along with possession and distribution charges in the overdose of 37-year-old Bradley Pfaff.
The investigation began Aug. 8, after police were called to the Jersey Shore Motel in the township's Villas section for a man who was unconscious and unresponsive.
Bradley Pfaff was found in the bathroom, with his girlfriend telling police that she believed he took "one bag" of heroin/fentanyl, according to the affidavit of probable cause obtained by BreakingAC.
Blue glassine folds stamped "BRAVE" were found at the scene, and later tested positive for carfentanil, a synthetic opioid said to be 100 times more potent than fentanyl. It also has been responsible for multiple overdoses in Cape May County, the affidavit states.
The younger Pfaff was taken to Cooper University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 3:30 p.m.
His girlfriend, Kirsten Woods, told investigators that Bradley Pfaff would get drugs from his father, who kept the drugs in a standing tool box inside a detached garage on Robert Pfaff's property in the township's Cold Spring section.
Bradley Pfaff (obituary)"Kirsten also stated that Robert does not charge his children for the drugs he supplies them," the affidavit states.
Woods said that her boyfriend had been feeling very sick Aug. 7, and that his father was going to drop the drugs off, "but Robert became paranoid about going out and told Kirsten that she had to go to Robert's house instead," the affidavit read.
She took a bus to the Shunpike Road residence, where she said that the older Pfaff gave her four glassine folds containing heroin/fentanyl for her to give to Bradley Pfaff.
Text messages on Woods' cell phone showed text messages with "Pop Pfaff," corroborating her statements, the affidavit states.
Robert Pfaff's home was searched Sunday, when police seized blue glassine folds stamped "BRAVE" from inside the garage, according to the affidavit. Empty folds with the same stamp also were found in Robert's bedroom.
Pfaff was taken into custody and Mirandized, the affidavit states. He then confirmed Woods' statements, and claimed possession of the drugs and paraphernalia found in his residence.
He is currently in the Cape May County Correctional Facility, awaiting a detention hearing set for Friday.
Pfaff appeared briefly in court Tuesday, via video from the jail.
An autopsy was performed on Bradley Pfaff, who was found to have no underlying medical conditions, according to the affidavit. The cause and manner of death are pending results of the toxicology report.
Pfaff is survived by three sons, according to his obituary.
Robert Pfaff Jr. was in a wheelchair when he appeared in court via video from the Cape May County jail.
