United States of America v. Jacob Peter

A federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging a Fairbanks man with distributing fentanyl that resulted in a fatal overdose in March 2025.



On March 3, 2025, Jacob Peter, 25, allegedly distributed fentanyl to another person in Fairbanks. On March 4, 2025, the victim died of an apparent overdose.



Peter is charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. The defendant made his initial court appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott A. Oravec of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison and up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory 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 made the announcement.



The DEA Seattle Division Office and Anchorage District Office is investigating the case, with assistance 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 the case.



This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and drug trafficking. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).