Bellingham woman sentenced for role in drug ring that brought fentanyl pills to Lummi Nation
A Bellingham woman has been sentenced to four years in prison for her role in a Whatcom County fentanyl distribution ring. Natasha Parkhill, 38, pleaded guilty to related charges in March, prior to Friday’s sentencing.
According to records filed in the case, Parkhill was one of six people charged federally in a monthslong investigation of fentanyl dealing in Whatcom County. The ring was actively moving fentanyl from the Seattle area to redistributors in Bellingham. Law enforcement officers observed various drug transactions and interdicted the drug loads.
In one instance, law enforcement was called to a convenience store where two people involved with the drug ring overdosed on fentanyl and had to be revived and taken to the hospital.
Parkhill was observed by law enforcement engaging in drug sales. In January 2023 law enforcement attempted to arrest her but she fled. Her car suffered a mechanical problem, and she was taken into custody. She had about 1,000 fentanyl pills and over $1300 in cash when she was arrested.
Lummi Nation Chairman Anthony Hillaire spoke Friday during Parkhill’s sentencing hearing.
“Drug dealing is a crime that is very much intentional and for monetary gain at the expense of familial loss,” Hillaire said. “This destruction of our generations will have a long-lasting, negative impact on our people.”
In a letter to the Court, Hillaire described the devastation of the fentanyl crisis: “In our community, I have witnessed spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandchildren, cousins, and friends plan funeral arrangements for a loved one due to a drug overdose. I will never forget the cries of elementary-aged children crying for their father at his funeral and saying, ‘I just want my daddy’.”
“This drug ring, and specifically Ms. Parkhill as a drug redistributor, had a terrible impact on the Lummi Nation — a tribe that is dealing with tragically high fentanyl overdose deaths,” said U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman in a news release announcing the sentencing. “I appreciate the Lummi Nation leadership speaking to the court today about fentanyl’s impact on the community, to hold these defendants accountable for the harm they have caused.”
Two other members of the drug ring have already been sentenced: 39-year-old Daniel Faix of Bellingham was sentenced in March to 10 years in prison. Ahbdurman Ahmed, 33, of Seattle was sentenced in January to six years in prison.
Defendant Mohamed Abdirisak Mohamed, 35, of Seattle pleaded guilty in January and will be sentenced in September. Defendant Matthew Anderson, 35, of Bellingham, pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges on June 25. Defendant Robel Sisay Gebremedhin, 41, of Burien, is being sought by law enforcement.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Whatcom County Drug and Gang Task Force, with valuable assistance provided by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Washington State Patrol, the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Lummi Police Department.
