Hensley, Arkansas – A 62-year-old Arkansas woman will spend 20 years in federal prison after a jury found her guilty of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death, a case that stemmed from a fatal overdose at a Saline County home. The sentence was announced by Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and imposed today by James M. Moody Jr..
Charges, Sentencing, and No Parole
The defendant, April Adams of Hensley, was originally indicted alongside her daughter, Amber Church, after a federal grand jury returned charges on April 2, 2024. Both women were accused of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death.
At sentencing, Judge Moody ordered Adams to serve 20 years in federal prison for the fentanyl conspiracy conviction. In addition, Adams received another 20-year federal sentence for a separate conviction involving distribution of methamphetamine. The court ruled that the two sentences will be served concurrently, meaning at the same time. Following her prison term, Adams must complete three years of supervised release. Federal law does not allow parole, so Adams will be required to serve the sentence as imposed.
Deadly Overdoses at Saline County Home
Evidence presented during trial focused on events that unfolded on April 16, 2023, at a residence on Crab Apple Circle. Deputies with the Saline County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the home after receiving reports of multiple overdoses.
When officers arrived, they found four individuals who had overdosed. Emergency responders administered Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. Three people survived, but one person died at the scene.
Two witnesses who survived testified during the trial and described what happened inside the home that day. According to their testimony, Adams offered methamphetamine to those present, including the witnesses, her daughter, and the individual who later died. After the group smoked the methamphetamine, Church asked Adams whether she could share what Church believed was “cocaine” stored in Adams’ room.
Church retrieved the substance and distributed it to the group, using some herself. Investigators later confirmed the substance was fentanyl, not cocaine.
Delayed Response After Overdoses Began
The trial evidence showed that the effects of the fentanyl were almost immediate. The four people who ingested it began passing out, including Church. Adams did not use the substance that caused the overdoses.
Despite seeing the medical crisis unfolding, Adams waited approximately 45 minutes before notifying anyone. When she did reach out, she called a friend instead of emergency services, according to testimony presented to the jury. By the time help arrived, one person had already died.
Federal Task Force and Prosecution
The case was prosecuted as part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, which focuses on dismantling criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking and other serious crimes. The HSTF Little Rock includes investigators from the Saline County Sheriff’s Office, with prosecution led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
The investigation was conducted by the Saline County Sheriff’s Office, and the case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Edward Walker and Jordan Crews.
The sentence brings closure to a case centered on the deadly consequences of fentanyl distribution, underscoring the severe penalties tied to drug crimes that result in loss of life.
