An elderly woman from Texas with a background in nursing was recently sentenced in federal court for her involvement in distributing 150,000 lethal doses of fentanyl. This judgment came after an undercover agent caught her, as announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Rhode Island on Monday.

Patricia Parker, aged 74, faced sentencing while maintaining that she was unaware the packages she sent contained fentanyl. However, investigators argued that given her education and experience, she should have recognized the inherent dangers, according to a memorandum presented at her sentencing.

Prosecutors revealed that Parker confessed to charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distributing over 310 grams of the substance. Her sentence includes two years of probation, with nine months to be served under home confinement, as detailed by officials.

Authorities reported that Parker, now residing in Massachusetts, attempted to sell counterfeit amphetamine pills infused with fentanyl to an undercover agent from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) back in 2022.

Several packages containing drugs, suspected to be tainted with fentanyl, were displayed on a bed. (U.S. District Court of Rhode Island)

Following the undercover operation, agents discovered that Parker was in possession of more than 18,000 pills, including Adderall, oxycodone and diazepam, and had distributed over a thousand parcels suspected to contain illegal drugs, according to the authorities. 

Parker’s attorney reported that after COVID-19 devastated her career and left her unable to afford her medications, a supplier she regularly used offered to provide the drugs if she agreed to mail pills to others, local outlet Boston.com said. 

According to an affidavit, Parker would receive large shipments of illicit products from overseas, break them into smaller packages and mail them out, the outlet added. Her attorney reportedly described the operation as a “side hustle” she took on during her financial struggles.

Bags containing thousands of pink-colored pills. (U.S. District Court of Rhode Island)

Prosecutors argued that Parker’s secret operation effectively turned her living room into a makeshift pharmacy, creating risks that any educated adult should have recognized, according to the sentencing memorandum.

Parker has maintained she was unaware some of the pills she was packaging contained fentanyl.

The Food and Drug Administration headquarters in White Oak, Md., Aug. 29, 2020. (Reuters/Andrew Kelly/File photo)

“This incident is completely out of character with the life I have lived and values I have always tried to uphold,” Parker said in a letter to the judge, according to Boston.com.

“I would NEVER have knowingly taken part in anything related to such a dangerous drug,” she added. “I should have inquired what it was, so that was my own doing. I see that in retrospect, but that fact haunts me to this day.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the District of Rhode Island and the FDA for more information.