BOZEMAN — A Bozeman man was arrested on Tuesday after Bozeman Police were notified by a US Postal Inspector about a suspicious package, which was found to contain a large amount of fentanyl, reportedly to be delivered to the man.
Nicholas Shields, 30, is scheduled to appear in Gallatin County Justice Court on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2023.
According to charging documents, on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023, a Bozeman Police Department detective was contacted by a US Postal Inspector about the package which originated in California and was supposed to be delivered to a PO box in Bozeman of Shields'.
The detective searched the local law enforcement database, which showed Shields had alerts for “drug offender.”
After a search warrant was granted, the inspector opened the package and observed a large vacuum-sealed bag containing small blue “M30” pills inside of a Monopoly box. According to court paperwork, blue “M30” pills are often counterfeit and contain fentanyl.
Charging documents stated the pills weighed 39.6g, which reportedly equals approximately 1,980 lethal doses. The bag of pills was not opened due to officer safety, but there were approximately 200 pills inside.
When Shields was arrested, he reportedly told the officer that he had ordered his “medicine” from an “online pharmacy.” When it was explained to Shields that he likely ordered fentanyl, he reportedly stated he did not care and he did not have a prescription and that was the reason he was ordering the pills online.
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