SALMON — A Salmon woman is facing felony drug trafficking charges after police say she sold medical-grade fentanyl to an undercover police informant.
Amanda Lynn Reese, 38, is charged with one count of trafficking fentanyl of more than 14 grams, along with an enhancement for the crime occurring within 1,000 feet of a school zone.
If she is found guilty, Reese faces a sentence of 5 years to life in prison. The enhancement can add up to five additional years to the final sentence.
According to a police booking affidavit, a Salmon police officer began investigating Reese in December 2025 when a confidential informant reported that she was attempting to sell fentanyl. Police say further investigation found that Reese was in possession of a large amount of pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl patches.
The affidavit says police arranged for the undercover informant to purchase some of the patches from Reese on an undisclosed date and time. The officer then observed the informant purchasing 24 grams of fentanyl from Reese in December 2025, within 500 feet of a school, the document states.
Following the sale, the officer “immediately recovered the controlled substance directly from the (confidential informant) without delay,” the affidavit states. The patches were then sent to the Idaho State Forensic Lab for testing and confirmed to contain fentanyl.
On March 20, police contacted Reese and arranged to meet with her at the Salmon Police Department. After her Miranda rights were read, police say Reese was asked about the fentanyl and denied having any involvement with the drug. When told about the observed sale, Reese said she would need to speak with a lawyer.
Reese was taken into custody but later told police she wanted to speak with them. The investigating officer said he told Reese he wasn’t going to ask her any more questions, but Reese said she still wanted to tell the truth.
Reese then told the officer she was taking care of an individual with stage 4 terminal cancer in December and that some of the medication that individual was taking included fentanyl. Wanting to help the individual obtain some cash before Christmas, the affidavit says Reese told the officer she decided to sell some of the fentanyl patches and that it was just a one-time thing.
Reese was then booked into the Lemhi County Jail. She is scheduled to appear before Magistrate Judge Andrew Woolf in 7th District Court for a preliminary hearing at 4 p.m. on April 6.
Though Reese has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean she committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
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