Douglas Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison in Connection with Fatal Overdose and Drug Conspiracy

A 48-year-old man from Douglas, Wyoming, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison following convictions in two separate drug-related cases, one of which involved the fatal overdose of a Wyoming resident, K2 Radio reports.

Curtis Wesley Rogers received a sentence of 240 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, according to a statement from the Wyoming Department of Justice. The sentence was handed down by Chief US District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl in Casper on April 15, 2025.

In the first case, Rogers was charged with distributing fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, which resulted in a fatal overdose. In a separate case prosecuted in the Eastern District of Texas, he was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.

As part of the sentencing, Rogers was ordered to pay $9,219.78 in restitution to the family of the Wyoming overdose victim.

The investigations were conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Douglas Police Department, and the US Postal Inspection Service.

Fentanyl continues to be a major concern for public health officials in Wyoming and across the country. Data from the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) shows that overdose deaths in the state have fluctuated over the past decade. In 2021, there were 106 overdose deaths among Wyoming residents, up from 99 in 2020 and 78 in 2019.

Stefan Johansson, director of the WDH, emphasized the unpredictable nature of illegally obtained drugs.

“What increases the level of danger is that people using drugs can be unaware that a synthetic opioid has been added,” he said. “They don’t know the fentanyl is there and the results are sometimes tragic.”

Dr. Alexia Harrist, the state health officer and epidemiologist, noted the potency of fentanyl.

“It is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine,” she said. “It can also be more addictive and clearly more dangerous.”