A person has been charged in connection to the death of a Shawnee teen who died from an accidental fentanyl overdose.
Johnson County District Court records show Aaron Hansberry, 28, has been charged with distribution of a controlled substance causing great bodily harm or death, a felony, linked to the death of 16-year-old Cooper Davis in 2021.
Hansberry was originally taken into custody in May, according to an online court docket. He has since posted bail and is now living out of state under house arrest as his case makes its way through the courts.
His next court appearance is set for Nov. 21. Hansberry’s arrest was first reported by KSHB this week.
Davis’s death highlighted the dangers of fentanyl
Davis died in Aug. 2021 after taking a pill he believed was Percocet but which turned out to be a pill laced with a fatal dose of fentanyl.
Along with other fentanyl overdoses in Johnson County, Davis’s death prompted more awareness for fake pills containing the drug and the dangers they pose to teens.
“We all need to learn more about fentanyl and fake pills, and then we need to tell people,” Libby Davis, Cooper’s mom said in a speech about fentanyl in 2022 in the Blue Valley School District. “The most dangerous words out of a parent’s mouth are, ‘Not my kid,’ and I hope it’s not your kid, but it could be their friend, your niece or nephew or someone else you love.”
Fears over fentanyl overdoses among teens have prompted a number of local public school districts, including USD 232 and Blue Valley, to stock the anti-overdose nasal spray drug Narcan.
It also prompted a federal push led by U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas to require social media companies to disclose more information to law enforcement about suspected illegal drug trafficking happening on their platforms.
Hansberry’s preliminary trial is set for Nov. 21
The initial complaint against Hansberry was filed in March.
After being arrested in May, he posted $100,000 bail and is now on house arrest at his mother’s home in Washington state, according to online court records.
Under the terms of his house arrest, he is not allowed to consume alcohol, use firearms or drive without a valid license and insurance.
Hansberry has a history of convictions, including felony possession of methamphetamine in 2021, felony aggravated escape from the custody of Johnson County Department of Corrections in 2018 and felony intent to distribute a cannabinoid and marijuana in 2015.
Kansas is getting tougher with fentanyl distribution
In an interview this week, Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said 2023 is the tenth anniversary of the Kansas Legislature amending its law to increase the offense level for manufacturing a fentanyl-related controlled substance in pill or capsule form from a level two to a level one felony, giving convictions harsher sentences.
“This statute was put into law before fentanyl became as dangerous and prevalent as it is now. So, we’re so happy that it’s in place now because we know from just watching the news each and every day, how many people are impacted directly, either seriously injured or dying,” he said.
A felony 1 charge carries a potential of 12 to 54 years in prison, depending on the suspect’s criminal history.
Howe said he hopes it sends a message to people distributing the drug that it comes with serious consequences.
‘There are quite a few overdoses and deaths occurring in Johnson County because of fentanyl and so, it becomes even more important for us to try and figure out strategies to stem the tide of this horrible drug,” he said. “If you’re dealing death — which is fentanyl — to other individuals, there will be repercussions for your actions.”
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