Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office -Paterson Woman Sentenced in Connection with July 2025 Fatal Drug Overdose Death

For Immediate ReleaseJuly 11, 2026Paterson Woman Sentenced in Connection with July 2025 Fatal Drug Overdose DeathHunterdon County Prosecutor Renée M. Robeson announced that on July 10, 2026, the Honorable Christopher J. Garrenger, J.S.C. sentenced Shaneshea M. Cooper, 29, of Paterson, New Jersey, to a seven-year state prison term subject to the No Early Release Act. 

Ms. Cooper will have to serve five years, eleven months and 16 days of her sentence before being eligible for parole, as well as a three-year term of parole supervision after release.On May 1, 2026, Ms. Cooper pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless manslaughter, N.J.S.A. 2C:11-4b(1). The guilty plea followed a joint investigation by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office’s Narcotics Task Force and the Clinton Township Police Department. 

On July 24, 2025, Joseph S. Callari, 22, of Clinton Township, New Jersey, died from a drug overdose in Clinton Township following his ingestion of narcotics that Ms. Cooper distributed to him. 

Ms. Cooper was represented by Jada Mayson, Esq. Senior Assistant Prosecutor Tangerla Thomas represented the State.