Akron man, Kevin Ecker, was sentenced to 21 years in prison on Friday for the drug-related death of 20-year-old Jessica Canada Holmes, in addition to other drug charges.
On June 16, a Summit County jury found Ecker, 30, guilty on a total of 10 charges, the most egregious of which was involuntary manslaughter for Holmes' death. Other charges included corrupting another with drugs, aggravated trafficking in drugs (methamphetamine and fentanyl), as well as several possession charges for a variety of drugs, according to court documents.
“Heroin, fentanyl, and now carfentanil, have left a trail of death in our community. Kevin Ecker, and drug dealers like him, must be held accountable for preying on people caught in the grips of addiction,” said Summit County Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh. “As we search for solutions to this health crisis, my office will continue to fight for victims and their families who are battling with this crippling addiction.”
On March 22, Holmes bought what she thought was heroin from Ecker. She was later found dead in her Akron home on Kenmore Avenue. The Summit County Medical Examiner found that Holmes died from ingesting fentanyl, not heroin. Investigators were able to trace the drug back to Ecker, leading to his prosecution.
Ecker's conviction is the first case in Summit County decided by a jury trial in which a supplier of heroin or fentanyl was charged with involuntary manslaughter. Officials have said since 2013, there have been 22 involuntary manslaughter convictions in Summit County in connection to heroin or fentanyl deaths.
