photo by: Kansas Department of Corrections

Harlan L. Epps

A Lawrence man has been charged in connection with the suspected fentanyl death of a 39-year-old man.

Harlan Lee Epps, 37, is charged in Douglas County District Court with one felony count of distributing a controlled substance causing death. The charge is in connection with the death of Justin R. Jones, 39, on June 5, 2023, in the 900 block of Connecticut Street.

Police Chief Rich Lockhart had called a press conference on June 6, 2023, after the department had a rash of fentanyl overdoses, as the Journal-World reported. At that press conference he said the department handled three overdoses in six hours on June 5, 2023, including a 39-year-old man who had died after a suspected fentanyl overdose; a 39-year-old woman who was administered multiple doses of Narcan and survived at the city support site for people experiencing homelessness; and a 19-year-old woman who had been in critical condition and later died.

On Thursday, Epps appeared in court via videoconference from the jail and asked Judge Sally Pokorny for an own-recognizance bond, which would mean he wouldn’t be required to pay any money to be released from the jail. He said he would still be in contact with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office regularly even if he were released, because he was the victim in a case where he had been shot in the arm by someone he didn’t know.

Assistant District Attorney Brian Deiter, however, argued that the severity of the charge against Epps and the potential prison sentence if he were convicted made Epps a flight risk.

Deiter cited Epps’ prior convictions in arguing against the own-recognizance bond. According to Kansas Department of Corrections records, Epps was convicted in Wyandotte County of felony possession of narcotics in 2007 and aggravated escape from custody in 2009.

Epps responded that those convictions were more than 10 years old.

“I have been in trouble before, but I have done everything right for my community and my family. I go to church,” Epps said as he wiped his face and began to cry.

Pokorny decided to grant Epps a $100,000 own-recognizance bond with GPS monitoring and house arrest. She noted that Epps had been in Lawrence since Jones’ death last year and hadn’t fled or had any other issues. She advised Epps not to cut off his GPS monitor and to appear on April 24 for his next court date.

“I won’t cut it off. I’ll stay with my family,” Epps said.