Two residents of East Pierce County, Washington, have pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to charges related to distributing fentanyl pills through a marketplace on the dark web. The announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller.
Trevor Stephen Haahr, 34, from Puyallup, and Kaeli Arielle Albert, 35, from Orting, could each face up to 40 years in prison when they are sentenced by Judge Tiffany M. Cartwright on December 18, 2025.
According to information provided in the plea agreements, law enforcement began investigating sales of fentanyl pills on a dark web marketplace in early 2023. After purchasing pills that were labeled as M30 oxycodone but tested positive for fentanyl, investigators used various techniques to identify Haahr as the operator of the marketplace.
In February 2024, Haahr mailed a package within Pierce County that was searched and found to contain more than 10,000 fentanyl pills. Surveillance operations showed multiple brief meetings between Haahr and Albert involving exchanges of cash and drugs.
On March 11, 2024, search warrants were executed at several locations including Haahr’s residence, office, storage locker, vehicle and Albert’s home. At Haahr’s office he was found logged into the dark web vendor profile. Investigators located drug proceeds, fentanyl pills and shipping supplies in his truck and storage locker. At Albert’s residence authorities seized over $23,000 in drug proceeds as well as body armor.
Both defendants admitted in their plea agreements that they distributed more than 100,000 fentanyl-laced pills.
Law enforcement also confiscated bitcoin payments received by Haahr for the sale of drugs; at the time it was seized this bitcoin was valued at approximately $50,000. Haahr has agreed to forfeit these funds as proceeds from his illegal activities.
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend sentences at the lower end of federal guidelines calculated by the court. Conspiracy to distribute controlled substances at this level is punishable by up to 40 years in prison while possession with intent to distribute carries a maximum sentence of twenty years. “Judge Cartwright is not bound by the recommendations and can impose any sentence allowed by law,” according to officials.
The investigation involved cooperation between the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), FBI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brian Wynne and Casey Conzatti.
