Michele Beckwith Acting U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of California
Holly Adams, a 35-year-old resident of Palm Desert, has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for her involvement in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy and money laundering. The sentencing was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith.
Court documents revealed that Adams, alongside co-conspirator Devlin Hosner, profited significantly from selling counterfeit oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl on the dark web. They laundered the illicit proceeds using cryptocurrency mixers and wallets. In September 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at their residence. During the raid, Hosner attempted to block entry while Adams tried to destroy evidence by dissolving pills in a chemical solution. Both were arrested but later released by state authorities, only to continue their illegal activities under federal investigation.
In March 2022, another search warrant was executed at a hotel room in Riverside County where Adams and Hosner were staying temporarily. Authorities seized nearly a kilogram of fentanyl-laced oxycodone pills and 60 grams of methamphetamine.
The investigation was conducted by the Northern California Illicit Digital Economy (NCIDE) Task Force, which includes agents from various federal agencies such as IRS Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and DEA. The task force focuses on combating dark web and cryptocurrency-related crimes in the Eastern District of California.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Stefanki prosecuted the case against Adams. Meanwhile, Devlin Hosner faces similar charges and remains detained pending trial with his next court appearance scheduled for August 19, 2025.
