74-Year-Old Former Nurse Sentenced After Mailing Pills Tied to an Estimated 150,000 Fentanyl Doses

Federal prosecutors say 74-year-old Patrica Parker, a former nurse, was sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and to distributing more than 310 grams of the drug. Authorities estimate her operation resulted in the equivalent of roughly 150,000 lethal doses of fentanyl sent through the mail.

Investigators say the case began with an undercover Food and Drug Administration (FDA) operation in 2022 in which Parker attempted to mail counterfeit amphetamine pills laced with fentanyl to an undercover agent. Agents later found more than 18,000 pills in her possession—reported to include Adderall, oxycodone and diazepam—and allege she mailed more than 1,000 parcels suspected of containing illegal drugs.

How authorities say the scheme worked

According to search affidavits and prosecutorial filings, Parker regularly received large shipments of illicit products from overseas, repackaged them into smaller quantities and mailed those packages across the country. Officials say the activity effectively turned her home into a distribution point, creating risks for recipients and the broader public.

Prosecutors argued the dangers were obvious and that an educated adult should have recognized the risks of repackaging and mailing large quantities of pills—especially given the growing presence of fentanyl in counterfeit medications. Parker, who now lives in Massachusetts, maintains she did not knowingly package or distribute fentanyl-laced pills.

Sentence and defense

Parker pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and to distributing more than 310 grams of the drug. She was sentenced to two years of probation, which includes nine months of home confinement. In court filings and a letter to the judge, Parker described the conduct as out of character and said she would never knowingly participate in handling such a dangerous substance.

"This incident is completely out of character with the life I have lived and values I have always tried to uphold," Parker wrote. "I would NEVER have knowingly taken part in anything related to such a dangerous drug. I should have inquired what it was, so that was my own doing. I see that in retrospect, but that fact haunts me to this day."

Parker's attorney told investigators that the COVID-19 pandemic devastated her career and left her unable to afford her medications. The attorney said a supplier offered to provide pills if she agreed to mail packages for others, a practice her lawyer described as a temporary "side hustle" during financial hardship.

Federal authorities continue to investigate the full scope of the distribution network. The case highlights ongoing concerns about fentanyl being mixed into counterfeit pills and distributed through mail services, which has contributed to rising overdose deaths nationwide.