Woman arrested for drug distribution resulting in death in the El Paso County Jail
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- On Jan. 20, 2023, a woman in the El Paso County Jail died from what was determined to be fentanyl intoxication, according to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPCSO).
That woman has been identified as 44-year-old Renee Lowrance.
According to the EPCSO, Sheriff Joseph Roybal, Metro Narcotics, and the EPCSO Criminal Intelligence Unit initiated an investigation into Lowrance's death in an attempt to identify who supplied the fentanyl. Metro Narcotics is comprised of members of the Colorado Springs Police Department, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Fountain Police Department, and Monument Police Department.
According to the EPCSO, Metro Narcotics has identified 27-year-old Katariina Gibson, a previously incarcerated person at the jail, as the individual who supplied the fentanyl associated with Lowrance's death.
Gibson was arrested on the following charges:
18-18-405 Proximate Cause of Death by Unlawful Distribution (Drug Felony 1)
18-8-204 Introducing Contraband in the 2nd Degree (Felony 6).
The EPCSO said this is the first time in El Paso County Jail History that a previously incarcerated person at the jail has been arrested and booked on those charges.
Gibson's current bond is set at $100,000.
"As your Sheriff, it is my duty to protect the citizens of El Paso County, and I will use every means possible to do so within the scope of the law. I thank our community and law enforcement members for supporting my office in our fight against illegal drugs in our county. This is a warning to those who dare bring illegal contraband into my jail. Those who bring drugs into the jail will be investigated and held accountable for their actions to the extent the law allows. This represents just one area of prioritized focus for reducing jail deaths.," Sheriff Roybal said.
