Jonathan D. Ross U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas
April Adams of Hensley has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. The announcement was made by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas. United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr., delivered the sentence.
A federal grand jury indicted Adams, 62, and her daughter Amber Church, 38, on April 2, 2024. Both were charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. In addition to the fentanyl charge, Adams received a concurrent 20-year sentence for distribution of methamphetamine. She will also serve three years of supervised release after completing her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Evidence presented at trial showed that on April 16, 2023, Saline County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a residence on Crab Apple Circle following reports of multiple overdoses. Four individuals had overdosed; three survived after receiving Narcan from medical personnel while one person died at the scene.
During the trial, two survivors testified that upon arriving at the residence, Adams offered methamphetamine to them as well as Church and the victim who later died. After using methamphetamine, Church asked Adams for what she referred to as “cocaine,” which was retrieved from Adams’ room and shared among the group—including Church herself—but was actually fentanyl.
The four individuals who used the substance quickly lost consciousness; Church was among those affected. Adams did not use the substance but waited about 45 minutes before alerting anyone about the overdoses and contacted a friend instead of emergency services.
The prosecution is part of an initiative led by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), established under Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF coordinates efforts across government agencies to combat criminal cartels and organizations operating within and outside U.S. borders with special attention given to crimes involving children and violent offenders.
The case was investigated by Saline County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Edward Walker and Jordan Crews.
