Harvard woman sentenced to prison in connection with fatal overdose

Jessica Stoneburner sentenced Wednesday for delivery of a controlled substance in connection with a Harvard man’s March 2020 death

A Harvard woman was sentenced to prison Wednesday for her part in delivering the drugs that later killed a 29-year-old man.

Jessica Stoneburner, 31, cried in court Wednesday as she offered what the judge called a “sincere and heartfelt” apology to the family of Harvard man Daniel Bane.

“I will forever relive the events of that night,” Stoneburner said.

Stoneburner pleaded guilty in April to an amended charge of delivery of a controlled substance in connection with Bane’s March 21, 2020, death. Prosecutors at that time dismissed an additional count of drug-induced homicide, typically punishable by six to 30 years.

McHenry County Judge Michael Coppedge ultimately sentenced the woman the three years in prison.

Stoneburner will receive day-for-day credit as well as credit for any time that she already has served in the McHenry County Jail. That means Stoneburner could be released after serving about one year in prison.

Coppedge also noted that Stoneburner is eligible for the state’s Impact Incarceration Program. Sometimes referred to as “boot camp,” impact incarceration is an intervention program that could further reduce a person’s sentence.

The charges against Stoneburner stemmed from a Harvard Police Department investigation of Bane’s death.

She and another woman, 34-year-old Hollie Sledge, were accused of driving with Bane to Chicago, where Stoneburner purchased Xanax and then gave a portion of the drugs to Sledge to sell in Wonder Lake, according to court records.

Official charging documents allege that the drugs Bane ingested contained a combination of fentanyl and heroin.

Stoneburner sought the Xanax for her depression, her attorney McHenry County Special Public Defender Henry Sugden said in court Wednesday. The only mistake she made “was allowing (Sledge) to come with her,” the attorney said.

“[Stoneburner] had nothing to do with any death – period,” Sugden said.

The criminal case against Sledge, who also was charged with delivery of a controlled substance, is ongoing. She is due in court Thursday morning.

Sometime after the stop in Wonder Lake, the women “realized that Bane needed assistance” and drove him to the hospital in Harvard, where he died of a suspected drug overdose, according to a motion prosecutors filed last year.

Stoneburner and Sledge didn’t take Bane to the hospital immediately, however. Bane’s mother, Michelle Bane, said that the women drove to her home in the early morning hours. The mother believed the women were asking for money, and with newly established COVID-19 precautions in effect, Michelle Bane declined to let any of the three inside her home, she said.

“Why didn’t she say my son was dead? ... Why didn’t she tell me?” Michelle Bane said in court, turning to address Stoneburner directly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Before arriving at the hospital, the women made a final stop at Casey’s General Store where they allegedly used Daniel Bane’s credit card to buy a pack of cigarettes, McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney Judy Shammo said.

Daniel Bane would later be pronounced dead at Mercyhealth Harvard Hospital.

More than a year later, the Bane family is struggling to come to terms with the 29-year-old’s death.

“There should be some way they’ll never forget what happened because I will never ever,” said Daniel Bane’s father, Charles Bane Sr. “He was my firstborn. I remember every detail.”

Shortly before his death, Daniel Bane helped look after his young niece and taught her how to walk, said the man’s sister, Melissa Bane.

“When he died, she cried out ‘Dan! Dan!’ for a week,” Melissa Bane said. “She was looking for him everywhere.”

Daniel Bane was a fan of Chicago sports, motorcycles and fishing, according to his obituary. Although he struggled with addiction, he’d been “clean” for some time and was looking forward to celebrating his 30th birthday in December, his family said.

“Daniel always came back,” Melissa Bane said. “He’s never going to come back now.”