Gillette man arrested after police investigation for allegedly selling fentany

GILLETTE (WNE) — A man who was reported to law enforcement and allegedly recorded on a discreet audio recording by an informant has been bound over to District Court for allegedly selling fentanyl.

Joshua O. Foster, 40, waived his preliminary hearing June 27 and was bound over to District Court for delivery of fentanyl, a felony, according to court documents.

The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, up to a $25,000 fine or both.

The investigation into Foster began in February when an informant talked to Gillette police about another person, who became an informant, who was getting fentanyl from Foster, according to court documents.

The informant who bought the drugs told a police detective about buying 10 or 11 fentanyl pills from Foster in late January and said one of those pills caused that informant to overdose. The informant showed Facebook messages that indicated buying fentanyl from Foster on Feb. 1, according to court documents.

The informant told police that Foster said he could give a better price if the informant bought more than $600 worth of fentanyl. On Feb. 9, the informant showed a police detective Facebook messages about buying 20 fentanyl pills from Foster, according to court documents.

Law enforcement set up surveillance on Foster’s residence and fitted the informant with an audio transmitting and recording device. 

The law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation were not specified in the police affidavit of probable cause.

Law enforcement listened to the conversation in which the informant allegedly bought fentanyl from Foster and provided a police detective with a baggie of blue pills marked “M30,” typically known to contain fentanyl.

The 18 pills tested positive for fentanyl and weighed 1.9 grams, according to court documents.

This story was published on July 4, 2023.