East Grand Forks (trfnews.i234.me) A East Grand Forks man received a stayed sentence Tuesday, April 7, in a fentanyl case.
Under the sentence, Jacob Michael Boushee, 34, will spend five years on supervised probation. He will not go to prison unless he breaks probation rules.
Plea Deal Resolved Case
Jacob Michael Boushee first pleaded not guilty to three criminal charges in December. He later changed course in February.
He pleaded guilty to felony fifth-degree fentanyl possession. He also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor fourth-degree driving while impaired by fentanyl.
A felony third-degree sale of fentanyl charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement. That charge was not part of the final conviction.
The case was filed in January 2025. Court records said the investigation began about one year earlier.
Investigation Led to Traffic Stop
According to the probable cause statement, drug task force officers watched a suspected exchange on Jan. 29, 2024.
The statement said Boushee left an East Grand Forks business and got into a car briefly. He then walked to another vehicle.
Investigators said he appeared to hand something to the other driver. They said he received something in return.
Later that same day, Boushee was stopped after failing to stop at a stop sign. A search followed the traffic stop.
Authorities said they found two fentanyl pills, four Ambien pills, and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.
The statement also said Boushee admitted buying 10 fentanyl pills that morning. Investigators said he admitted selling six and smoking one.
Sentence Includes Jail Credit
Boushee was ordered to serve 28 days at the Northwest Regional Corrections Center. That jail time has already been served.
He also received a 13-month prison sentence at the Minnesota Correctional Facility in St. Cloud.
That prison term was stayed for five years. He will only serve that time if probation is revoked.
The case shows how plea agreements can change the final outcome. It also shows how probation can replace prison in some cases.
Related Resources
Readers can review Minnesota court records through Minnesota Court Records Online.
More information about regional drug enforcement is available through the Pine to Prairie Drug Task Force.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
Why only probation? Man this government is screwed up!