Two Utqiaġvik residents are in custody after officials say they intercepted fentanyl the two intended to sell.
According to a charging document, federal postal inspectors in Anchorage flagged a package sent from Arizona to 30-year-old Roberta Sielak of Utqiaġvik. Inspectors opened the package and found 2.4 ounces of blue “M30” pills that contained fentanyl, the charges say. The pills were hidden in a vacuum-sealed bag and placed inside the motor housing of an Oster blender, which was in its original packaging, according to the charges.
Inspectors removed the pills and placed a tracking device in the package and sent it on to Utqiaġvik, along with several federal and state agents, the charges say.
Officials say Sielak picked up the package from the Utqiaġvik post office on Friday and brought it to 41-year-old Bryon McFadden. McFadden opened the package and, upon hearing the tracking device go off, fled his residence. North Slope police apprehended McFadden and questioned him. He stated he expected the package to contain marijuana, the charges say.
Officials searched McFadden’s home and found multiple Oster fan boxes, a white powder believed to be cocaine and an AR-15 style rifle.
Both Sielak and McFadden were in custody Tuesday and charged with a federal count of attempted possession of Fentanyl with intent to distribute.
