Roland Rideout Sentenced to 22 Years

Yesterday, Roland Rideout was sentenced to 22 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to Possession of a Controlled Substance with the intent to distribute Fentanyl, a class one drug felony. This distribution was directly related to the death of the victim.  Our office secured Mr. Rideout’s guilty plea in December 2025. 

In July 2023, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office responded to a house in North Fort Collins for a report of a death. The caller reported that a female was dead and he believed the cause was a fentanyl overdose. Deputies then confirmed that the 42-year-old female was deceased. 

An investigation, led by the Northern Colorado Drug Task Force (NCDTF), began into who had sold the victim the fentanyl that had killed her. Eventually, three individuals were identified and arrested: Gary Brown, Diane Petryszyn, and Roland Rideout. It was determined that Rideout directly provided the victim with Fentanyl.  

All three were indicted and taken into custody for Distribution of Fentanyl, resulting in death. 

Mr. Brown pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, a class two felony, and was sentenced to 7.5 years in the Department of Corrections on March 17th, 2025.

Ms. Petryszyn also pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, a class two felony, and was sentenced to 10 years of supervised probation. This probation requires mandatory drug treatment and completing a Fentanyl Education Program. She was sentenced on June 6, 2025. 

All three of these cases were led by the Drug Task Force Deputy District Attorney, Lane Bubka. He works closely with the NCDTF from investigation to sentencing and spearheads the prosecution of those distributing drugs in our community.

"Fentanyl remains an incredible danger in our communities, tearing families apart and claiming far too many lives,” said District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin. “While we remain committed to supporting those battling addiction with the resources they need, we will not hesitate to vigorously prosecute the individuals who profit from their struggle and facilitate their death. We hope this result will provide a sense of closure for the family, and our thoughts are with them."

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, help is available:

SummitStone Health Partners: 970-494-4200

Colorado Opioid Synergy Larimer & Weld (CO-SLAW): 1-844-944-7529

SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-487-4889

Connect Effect Colorado: www.connecteffectc.org/parents