Colorado man sentenced to 22 years in prison in connection to fentanyl death of Fort Collins woman
Almost three years after a Colorado woman died of a drug overdose in her Fort Collins home, one of the suspects, who pleaded guilty to selling fentanyl, has been sentenced.
Roland Rideout, 44, was the third of three suspects to be sentenced in the case related to the death of 43-year-old Jessica Lange. On Thursday, Larimer County Judge Joseph Findley sentenced Rideout to 22 years in state prison, with about two years of credit for time served.
Rideout pleaded guilty to possession of over 50 grams of fentanyl with intent to distribute, a class 1 drug felony, in December 2025. As a result, the charge of tampering with physical evidence and the most serious charge — distribution of fentanyl resulting in death — were both dropped.
"Fentanyl remains an incredible danger in our communities, tearing families apart and claiming far too many lives," Eighth Judicial District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin said in a statement on Friday. "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."
Lange died on the night of July 26, or early on the morning of July 27, 2023, according to the Larimer County Sheriff's Office. Deputies and paramedics responded to a 911 call from her boyfriend, who said that Lange wouldn't wake up.
In March 2024, investigators tracked digital evidence back to three people who were involved in selling the drugs that killed Lange. Eventually, Rideout, 54-year-old Gary Brown, and 38-year-old Diane Petryszyn were criminally charged.
Of the three defendants, investigators say Rideout directly supplied Lange with the drugs that ultimately killed her.
Brown pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in March 2025 and was immediately sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. Petryszyn pleaded guilty to the same change was sentenced to 10 years of supervised probation, drug treatment, and ordered to complete a fentanyl education program.
"Fentanyl is destroying lives in our community, and we'll continue working with our partners to hold dealers accountable," Larimer County Sheriff's Capt. Bobby Moll said in a statement after their arrests. "These distribution investigations are challenging and resource-intensive, but every pill we get off the street is a potential life saved."
