FARGO — A 34-year-old Fargo man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for his role leading a dangerous drug ring that was the primary source of thousands of fentanyl pills in North Dakota, including those that led to a Spirit Lake Indian Reservation woman’s death.

Karmen Charles Fox was sentenced Friday, July 18, by Chief Judge Peter Welte on several charges, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death, illegal gun possession and money laundering. A jury found Fox guilty after a trial March 19, Acting United States Attorney Jennifer Klemetsrud Puhl said in a release.

Fox sold fentanyl pills to individuals throughout North Dakota, including co-defendants Scott Roberts, Kristin Carrington, Chasity Lynn Feather, Aiana Richotte, among other co-conspirators, using CashApp and other money transfer services to transfer the drug proceeds, according to the release.

In December 2022, Fox distributed more than 100 fentanyl pills to Feather and Richotte, who in turn drove the pills from Fargo to Devils Lake to sell, the release said. While in Devils Lake, Richotte and the overdose victim smoked a pill, and the victim was later found unresponsive by her significant other.

During the investigation into the woman’s death, law enforcement later obtained search warrants for Richotte and Feather’s hotel room in Devils Lake and seized more than $1,200 from Feather’s purse and approximately 175 fentanyl pills from Feather. Richotte and Feather were arrested on Dec. 13, 2022.

On Nov. 21, 2023, a search warrant was executed on Fox’s residence in Fargo and law enforcement seized approximately 25 grams of methamphetamine, two grams of heroin, three firearms and 34 boxes of various ammunition. Fox was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions, the release said.

“The defendant prioritized financial gain over human life and it’s my hope that his sentence will serve as a stark warning to others who are engaging in the same conduct,” Puhl said. “If you distribute dangerous narcotics that result in overdose deaths, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law”.

Fox’s co-conspirators plead guilty in the case, the release said. Roberts was sentenced to 10 years, Carrington was sentenced to three and a half years, Richotte was sentenced to two years and four months and Feather is awaiting sentencing.

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FARGO, N.D. (Valley News Live) – A North Dakota native is speaking out on the death of her friend and paranormal investigator, Dan Rivera.

Rivera, 54, was the lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research. He passed away suddenly while on tour with the famous, ‘haunted,’ Annabelle doll.

As news of his passing circulates around the country, friends of the ghost hunter are shutting down rumors that the doll had anything to do with it.

Linda Johnson, originally from Chaffee, North Dakota, moved out east following high school, where she met Rivera at a Warrenology event.

He was apart of the paranormal investigative team of Ed and Lorraine Warren, who were world-famous demonologists. They explored some of the most famous alleged haunts in history, whose cases are portrayed in hit movies like The Conjuring and The Amityville Horror franchises.

Johnson says after the Warrenology event, her and Rivera became good friends.

She says, “He was such a nice guy with a beautiful family… he was just a really good, genuine person, he was also an army veteran.”

Linda explains she found out about his death through social media, and is still in shock.

“I just talked to him maybe two or three nights before he died. It’s just surreal,” she adds.

State Police released Rivera died from natural causes and nothing unusual or suspicious was noted, but those on social media continue to link his death with the doll and rumors that it’s cursed.

Friends, like Linda, are quickly shutting those rumors down, and remind people they’re in the grieving process of a great man.

“Everyone on social media is so fascinated with the Annabelle doll of course, but I just think Dan would want to be remembered as a family man and a really good person,” Johnson says. “I already miss my friend.”

News outlets have reported the haunted Annabelle tour will continue, following Rivera’s death.

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