Tepen Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charge

A Calhoun County man pleads guilty to charges in connection with his part in the death of a Pike County man last March.

As part of a plea deal, 31 year old Derek Tepen pleaded guilty last week to delivery of a controlled substance in Pike County Circuit Court. A second charge of drug induced homicide was dropped.

Tepen was sentenced to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Tepen and 26 year old Kayla Howard are alleged to have delivered fentanyl-laced heroin to 35 year old Gavin Bland, who died after ingesting the substance.

Howard also pleaded guilty to a reduced charge in September and was sentenced to five years in prison.