photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Logan Hastie Morgan is pictured during a hearing on Feb. 21, 2023. Morgan entered a no contest plea to attempted distribution of a controlled substance leading to death.

A Lawrence man was sentenced to more than three years in prison this month in connection with the fentanyl overdose death of an 18-year-old man.

The man, Logan Hastie Morgan, 23, pleaded no contest last February to one felony count of attempted distribution of a controlled substance causing death. As part of a plea agreement, the state reduced the original charge’s felony severity level, dismissed two felony counts of distributing a controlled substance leading to great bodily harm and one felony count of possession of a controlled substance.

The attempted distribution causing death charge relates to an incident on Aug. 28, 2021, where emergency crews were called around 12:15 p.m. to the 3300 block of Westridge Court in Lawrence where Mohamadi “MJ” Tompson Issa Jr., 18, died from an overdose of fentanyl, according to his autopsy report.

Issa was on the varsity football team for Lawrence High School his freshman and sophomore years and on the Free State High School varsity team his junior and senior years, according to his obituary.

Morgan pleaded to the charge in February of 2023 but was not sentenced until Jan. 5 after he testified against two other defendants.

Due to Morgan’s cooperation in those cases, Judge Amy Hanley granted Morgan a durational departure that reduced his sentence by a third. With Morgan’s minimal criminal history, Kansas sentencing guidelines recommended 59 months in prison for the charge and Morgan’s attorney, Adam Zentner, asked the court to reduce the sentence by 50%. Hanley ultimately granted the departure down to 41 months, or 3.4 years, which is the standard sentence for a slightly less severe felony charge. In addition, Morgan is required to register as a violent offender for 15 years.

During the sentencing hearing earlier this month, Issa’s mother, Sandra Issa, read a victim impact statement to the court that she later shared with the Journal-World.

In that statement she directed her comments toward Morgan.

“I’m very sorry that you’re here today. MJ is gone, I’ve lost my only son, and you will be going to prison. Clearly, there are no winners here,” Sandra wrote.

She wrote that she has spent a lot of time since Issa’s death thinking not only of her son but also of Morgan and how Morgan’s choices led to Issa’s death.

“You’ve made some bad choices in your young life. The worst choice you could have made was to sell fentanyl,” Sandra wrote.

She thanked Morgan for testifying against the dealer that allegedly sold Morgan the fentanyl pills but said that she still wants more from Morgan; she wants the truth about Issa’s final interaction with Morgan.

“…you owe me the truth. You interacted with my son, and you were the last person to see my son alive. I am left with many questions. I want to sit down and talk to you, and I want you to be honest and tell me what you know,” Sandra wrote.

She concluded by asking Morgan to remain “in recovery” from drug addiction. She wrote that Morgan must find a way to avoid falling back into using drugs no matter what pains or difficulties he experiences and that the “key to happiness” depends on doing good things, helping others, and self-reflection.

“Every time you think about taking something, anything –a pill, a powder, a liquid– I want you to think about me and my son,” Sandra wrote.

She wished Morgan luck and strength in his immediate prison time and so on throughout his life.

“I’m guessing you are scared right now, and you will need to stay strong. I want you to live your life well. From this day forward and for the rest of your life, you have the opportunity to make good choices. Don’t let me and MJ down,” Sandra wrote.

Morgan’s codefendant charged in Issa’s death is Benjamin L. Mims, 36, who after Morgan’s testimony in November of 2023, was bound over on one felony count of distribution of a controlled substance causing death, one felony count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. Mims is alleged to have provided Morgan with the drugs that killed Issa. Mims is in custody on a $200,000 bond.

photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

Benjamin L. Mims is pictured at a Douglas County District Court hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2022.

Morgan also testified in December of 2023 against Chloe Lyn Colby, 22, of Lawrence, who is charged with one count of distribution of a controlled substance causing death. The charge relates to an incident on April 17, 2021, when she is alleged to have provided counterfeit Oxycodone to her boyfriend, Kendall Royce Stiffler, 21, of Lawrence, who, after taking the drugs, died of fentanyl intoxication. Colby’s preliminary hearing is scheduled to resume on April 26, where Judge Sally Pokorny will determine whether Colby will be ordered to stand for trial. She is free on a $250,000 bond.