Washington man sentenced to 20 years following HSI investigation into commercial pill press operation
The man and his co-conspirator used a pill press from China and set up shop in his basement, obtaining enough fentanyl powder to make 2 million pills containing a lethal dose
WASHINGTON / March 15, 2026 — A federal judge sentenced Nicholas Adams, 37, to 20 years in prison March 6 for his role in a clandestine pill press operation run out of his basement in Spokane, Washington. The sentence followed an HSI Seattle, DEA, Spokane Police Department and RAVEN Task Force investigation.
“Adams and his co-conspirator obtained a Chinese pill press and set up an operation in his basement,” said ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “The two men mixed powdered fentanyl and cutting agents to make their own pills for bulk distribution — and as if that weren’t enough, they also possessed large quantities of meth, heroin, cocaine, MDMA and marijuana. The DEA discovered multiple loaded firearms in their residences, including a fully automatic machine gun, and three sets of body armor.”
Adams, a serial criminal whose history includes controlled substance abuse, was initially released from custody after being arrested for this offense to attend inpatient drug treatment. However, he continued to use drugs and was returned to custody.
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Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)
