Davenport Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Fentanyl Overdose Death

DAVENPORT, Iowa – On November 17, 2021, Kerry Bernard Morgan Jr., age 31, of Davenport was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 25 years in prison for Conspiracy to Manufacture, Distribute, and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, Heroin, and Fentanyl Purported to be Heroin Resulting in Death and Serious Bodily Injury. Morgan Jr. was ordered to serve five years of supervised release upon release from prison, immediately pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund, and pay $15,969.75 in restitution with his codefendants.

According to evidence at trial, on September 11, 2019, members of the Davenport Police Department were dispatched to Genesis West Hospital for a drug overdose. The victim was quickly pronounced dead after being dropped off at the hospital by one of Morgan Jr.’s co-defendants. Members of the Bettendorf Police Department made contact with this individual, who later provided information in a post-Miranda interview that led detectives to a third co-defendant. Later in the day on September 11, 2019, this third co-defendant purchased a heroin/fentanyl mixture from Morgan Jr. Morgan Jr. was taken into custody after the sale and was found in possession of additional distribution quantities of a heroin/fentanyl mixture and ice methamphetamine. In a post-Miranda interview, Morgan Jr. admitted to distributing more than fifty grams of ice methamphetamine and selling distribution quantities of heroin and fentanyl purported to be heroin. At trial, it was learned that Morgan Jr. had provided the fentanyl later ingested by the victim to co-defendant Amber Maxwell, who then provided it to co-defendant Jarad Postell, who then gave it to the victim. The evidence showed that Morgan Jr. knew prior to September 11, 2019, he was distributing fentanyl purported to be heroin. Morgan Jr. was found guilty by a federal jury.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bettendorf Police Department investigated the case.