A federal grand jury in Alaska has indicted a Fairbanks resident, Jacob Peter, 25, on charges of distributing fentanyl that led to a fatal overdose in March 2025. Court documents state that Peter allegedly supplied fentanyl to an individual in Fairbanks on March 3, and the recipient died the following day from an apparent overdose.
Peter faces one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. He appeared for his initial court hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott A. Oravec at the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If found guilty, he could receive a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life imprisonment. Sentencing will be determined by a federal judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge David Reames of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Division Office announced the indictment.
The case is being investigated by the DEA Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office with help from the Alaska State Troopers as part of the Fairbanks Area Narcotics Team (FANT) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek is prosecuting.
This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, a national initiative organized by the Department of Justice that targets illegal immigration, criminal organizations such as cartels and transnational groups, and violent crime related to drug trafficking (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline). The operation brings together resources from programs like Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Authorities remind that an indictment is only an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
