FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Multiple Northwest Arkansas fentanyl distributors have now been sentenced in connection to overdose death cases.

Marchello Stephano Oliver, 34, of Farmington, was sentenced yesterday in federal court to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute. He does not have the possibility of parole.

A release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Arkansas says that in 2022 agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) were investigating the distribution of fentanyl in NWA when they identified Oliver as a distributor.

  • Marchello Oliver
  • Ethan Driskill

“Between March 1, 2022, and March 25, 2022, DEA agents, utilizing a confidential informant, made two separate undercover purchases of fentanyl directly from Oliver,” the release said.

Agents later executed a search warrant and uncovered over 700 individual doses of fentanyl, over 100 grams of cocaine, an unspecified amount of methamphetamine and a loaded firearm.

Oliver admitted to distributing fentanyl and other substances. He entered the guilty plea on March 30.

During his sentencing hearing on Nov. 9, testimony and evidence was presented to the court that Oliver distributed fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a 47-year-old Rogers woman.

Oliver’s co-conspirator, Ethan Scott Driskill, 33, was sentenced to 38 years earlier this year. He distributed fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 29-year-old Fayetteville man.

DEA agents later determined that the victim and his girlfriend purchased what they believed was heroin.

A search of Driskill’s residence yielded around 730 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, 240 grams of fentanyl powder and two firearms. He later admitted to selling the drug throughout Northwest Arkansas.

Additionally, Amber Nichol Adair, 28, of Farmington, was sentenced to 96 months in prison and a four-year supervised release for aiding and abetting Driskill in the possession of 40 or more grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Adair is Driskill’s wife, according to the release.

To read previous coverage of Driskill’s sentencing, click here.