An elderly woman from Texas with a background in nursing was sentenced last Tuesday in a federal court for her involvement in distributing 150,000 potentially fatal doses of fentanyl. This announcement came from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Rhode Island on Monday.

Patricia Parker, 74, was sentenced after maintaining she was unaware that her shipments contained fentanyl. However, investigators countered this claim, stating in a sentencing memorandum that the case involved risks that an educated adult such as Parker should have recognized.

According to prosecutors, Parker admitted to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and distributing over 310 grams of the substance. She received a sentence of two years’ probation, which included nine months of home detention, as confirmed by the office.

Authorities revealed that Parker, now residing in Massachusetts, attempted to sell counterfeit amphetamine pills mixed with fentanyl to an undercover agent from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2022.

Numerous drug packages, potentially laced with fentanyl, were displayed on a bed. (U.S. District Court of Rhode Island)

During the undercover operation, agents found Parker in possession of over 18,000 pills, including Adderall, oxycodone, and diazepam. Authorities reported that she had distributed more than a thousand parcels suspected of containing illegal drugs.

Parker’s attorney reported that after COVID-19 devastated her career and left her unable to afford her medications, a supplier she regularly used offered to provide the drugs if she agreed to mail pills to others, local outlet Boston.com said. 

According to an affidavit, Parker would receive large shipments of illicit products from overseas, break them into smaller packages and mail them out, the outlet added. Her attorney reportedly described the operation as a “side hustle” she took on during her financial struggles.

Bags containing thousands of pink-colored pills. (U.S. District Court of Rhode Island)

Prosecutors argued that Parker’s secret operation effectively turned her living room into a makeshift pharmacy, creating risks that any educated adult should have recognized, according to the sentencing memorandum.

Parker has maintained that she was unaware some of the pills she was packaging contained fentanyl.

Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, on Aug. 29, 2020. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File photo)

“This incident is completely out of character with the life I have lived and values I have always tried to uphold,” Parker said in a letter to the judge, according to Boston.com.

“I would NEVER have knowingly taken part in anything related to such a dangerous drug,” she added. “I should have inquired what it was, so that was my own doing. I see that in retrospect, but that fact haunts me to this day.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the District of Rhode Island and the FDA for more information.