Spalding, Nebraska Man Sentenced for Distribution of Fentanyl

United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Tanner Hudson, 27, of Spalding, Nebraska, was sentenced July 24, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln for distribution of fentanyl.  United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Hudson to 192 months’ imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system. After Hudson is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release.

On March 13, 2022, Hudson provided a round blue pill to the victim.  Hudson believed the pill to be a controlled substance, a Percocet. This was confirmed through text messages and law enforcement interviews. Within an hour or so of receiving the pill, the victim loss consciousness.  About five hours later, the victim’s roommate came home to find the victim alive, unconscious and suffering from pulmonary edema.  Victim’s roommate called first responders.  First responders arrived and administered Narcan to the victim.  Eventually, medical doctors determined that the victim suffered two episodes of ventricular fibrillation and exhibited cerebral edema, which caused severe neurological damage.  The victim remains in a vegetative state.

This case was investigated by the Kearney Police Department.