GRAND FORKS, N.D. ( trfnews.i234.me ) — A Grand Forks woman is being held on a $250,000 bond for her alleged role in a man’s fatal drug overdose from 2024.
Taumi Cheree Vitell, 42, faces a Class A felony charge of fentanyl distribution resulting in death, which carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The charge was officially filed on October 7, 2025, nearly a year after the man’s death on October 17, 2024.
Vitell made her initial court appearance on Wednesday, October 15, where her bond was set at $250,000 cash or surety. She is currently being held at the Grand Forks County Correctional Center.
According to a probable cause statement, police responded around 3 p.m. on October 17, 2024, to a report of a possible overdose at the victim’s home. Officers discovered the man deceased, with methamphetamine, fentanyl residue, and drug paraphernalia found nearby. The Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation also assisted at the scene.
Investigators say the victim’s phone contained text messages suggesting Vitell sold him fentanyl within a day or two of his death. When questioned, Vitell denied delivering narcotics but admitted familiarity with fentanyl pills. A search of her home allegedly turned up two M30 fentanyl pills, a scale with residue, and 3.64 grams of fentanyl powder.
Further investigation linked Vitell to a separate drug case weeks later. On November 4, 2024, agents seized a package containing 99.5 grams of methamphetamine from her mailbox, resulting in additional charges and a conviction.
Digital evidence reportedly showed that Vitell deleted all communications with the deceased and blocked him on Facebook after his death. Cell phone data placed her at his residence several times on the morning of the overdose. The final autopsy determined the cause of death to be an acute overdose of fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and methamphetamine.
Vitell’s next court hearing — a preliminary hearing and/or arraignment — is set for 9 a.m. on November 24.
For more information on fentanyl-related laws and overdose prevention, visit the U.S. DEA Fentanyl Fact Sheet or the North Dakota Fentanyl Prevention Program.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.