Nicole Ann Kettler, a 41-year-old resident of Grayling, Michigan, has been sentenced to 139 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott.
Court records reveal that Kettler regularly traveled to Portland, Oregon, to purchase large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl for distribution in Idaho. On May 2, 2024, she was stopped for a traffic violation in Nampa, Idaho. During the stop, officers noticed drug paraphernalia in her vehicle. A trained canine detected the presence of controlled substances. A search uncovered approximately 4,300 fentanyl pills, over half a pound of fentanyl powder, more than a quarter-pound of methamphetamine, and other controlled substances. After her arrest, Kettler admitted to frequently traveling to Portland for purchasing drugs intended for distribution in Idaho. She has two prior convictions related to drug possession with intent to deliver.
U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also mandated that Kettler serve five years of supervised release following her prison term.
Acting U.S. Attorney Whatcott praised the efforts of the Idaho State Police Department, the Oregon State Police Department, and the High Desert Drug Task Force for their roles in Kettler’s arrest and subsequent charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Morse prosecuted the case.
The High Desert Drug Task Force is involved in identifying and dismantling local and international drug trafficking organizations through an intelligence-driven approach supported by multiple agencies and prosecutors. They are backed by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
