Twyla Dawn Basil, 46, Bonners Ferry, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl that resulted in serious bodily injury and death. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also ordered that Basil pay restitution to the family of the victim. Upon completion of her prison sentence, Basil will also be required to serve an additional three years of supervised release.
According to court records, on October 28, 2022, an inmate at the Boundary County Jail was found unconscious in her cell. Despite attempts to revive her by medical personnel, the victim ultimately died. A toxicology report and autopsy showed that the victim had a lethal dose of fentanyl in her system at the time of her death. The coroner ultimately determined that she died of a fentanyl overdose.
Local, state, and federal officers began an immediate investigation into the victim’s death. Jail staff learned that shortly before the victim was found dead, Basil, who was in custody with her, had provided the victim with fentanyl she had smuggled into the facility. Basil had been arrested the day before for driving while under the influence of fentanyl.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50-100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for severe pain management and prescribed in the form of transdermal patches or lozenges. While prescription fentanyl can be diverted for misuse, most cases of fentanyl-related overdoses in the U.S. are linked to illegally made fentanyl that is sold through illicit drug markets for its heroin-like effect.
Idaho has seen a massive influx of these pills in the last several years. Often, the pills are mass-produced by criminal drug networks and falsely marketed as legitimate prescription pills. The pills are made to look like prescription opioids such as oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and alprazolam (Xanax); or stimulants like amphetamines (Adderall). Criminal drug trafficking networks also increasingly distribute illicit fentanyl in powder form. In addition to cases in which fentanyl powder is consumed on its own, authorities have found fentanyl powder mixed with other street drugs.
“No matter the location or the circumstances, any fentanyl-caused death is an intolerable tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “We have re-doubled our efforts to train law enforcement to help us investigate and prosecute fentanyl deaths. While we are seeing some signs of progress, we will continue the battle against fentanyl for as long as it takes.”
“The Idaho State Police remains steadfast in our commitment to protect our communities from the devastating impact of fentanyl and other illicit drugs,” said Captain Paul Berger with ISP District 1. “This case underscores the tragic consequences of fentanyl trafficking and highlights the critical need for ongoing collaboration between agencies. Together, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who bring this deadly substance into our state, holding them accountable for the harm they cause. We extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and reaffirm our dedication to preventing further tragedies caused by this dangerous drug.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit commended the Idaho State Police and the and the North Idaho Narcotics Enforcement (NINE) Taskforce for their thorough investigation on this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryce Ellsworth prosecuted the case.
The NINE Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional group of law enforcement officers working together to target drug trafficking in North Idaho. The task force is comprised of agents and officers from the Idaho State Police, Coeur d’Alene Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Border Patrol, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the National Guard Counter Drug Program.