A Las Vegas, Nev. woman was sentenced Monday to five years in federal prison for distributing a fentanyl-laced substance that led to a fatal overdose in Jefferson. According to court documents, 34-year-old Alica Marie Hawkins was identified in the fall of 2023 as a fentanyl pill supplier in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. On Sept. 11, 2023, Hawkins provided a fentanyl mixture to a Jefferson resident who later died from an overdose. Authorities said Hawkins failed to render aid, attempted to conceal her involvement, and eventually fled back to Nevada during the investigation. Following her prison term, Hawkins will serve five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. The Jefferson and Des Moines Police Departments investigated the case. According to the Department of Justice, fentanyl is now the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the U.S., with counterfeit pills often resembling legitimate medications while containing potentially lethal doses. Opioid-related deaths reached a record high in Iowa in 2021, with 258 deaths recorded, a 64 percent increase from 2019. In 2023, accidental overdose was the top cause of death for Americans under 40 in 37 states.
