Grand Forks Woman Gets 15 Years for Fentanyl Overdose Death

Megan Kelly Thorsen, a resident of Grand Forks, will spend at least 10 years behind bars after a Minnesota judge sentenced her to 15 years in prison for third degree murder. The verdict, handed down Thursday in Polk County District Court, follows the death of a woman who overdosed on fentanyl supplied by Thorsen. The sentence includes credit for 180 days already served. Her attorney requested an additional 266 days of credit for time spent in North Dakota custody, but the judge denied the motion.

The 15-year term runs concurrently with the sentences Thorsen is expected to receive in her two pending cases in Grand Forks. In the Minnesota case, Thorsen and Rachel Keturah Boswell were both convicted of felony third degree murder for unintentionally causing a death by distributing fentanyl. Boswell received a lighter sentence of seven years and two months in December, with credit for 89 days. Thorsen must serve a minimum of 10 years before becoming eligible for parole.

Court documents detail the sequence of events leading to the overdose on August 19, 2025. Boswell contacted Thorsen on behalf of the victim to purchase the drugs. The victim transferred $80 to Thorsen, and the three women met in Grand Forks to exchange the money for the fentanyl. After the transaction, the victim drove Boswell home. Thorsen had warned Boswell that the fentanyl was strong and advised her not to let anyone use it alone.

Thorsen addressed the court shortly before her sentencing, acknowledging the pain of the victim's family. She stated that she would not allow anyone to believe she did not grieve the loss. Thorsen compared the victim's family to her own, noting that she lost a sister to an overdose. She said she feels the excruciating pain of losing someone close to her heart every day. She apologized for her addiction and for letting it affect others after her sister's death.

Thorsen's situation is complicated by two separate cases in Grand Forks. Judge Andrew Eyre issued a bench warrant for her appearance in North Dakota but did not order extradition. He explained that pulling her from Minnesota jail could cause further delays in the Polk County sentencing process. She was originally scheduled to appear via online conference on October 26 for the Grand Forks hearings. In North Dakota, she faces a Class A felony charge for delivery or possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in a correctional facility. She also faces a Class B felony charge for possession with intent to manufacture or deliver fentanyl. The Class A charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years.

The North Dakota charges stem from her arrest on August 21, 2025, during a traffic stop in Grand Forks. Officers stopped her because she had a warrant from Minnesota. They found 6.7 grams of fentanyl on her person and 0.44 grams in her purse. Five days later, while housed at the Grand Forks County Correctional Facility, Thorsen and two other inmates appeared to be under the influence. Officers searched Thorsen again and discovered 19.9 grams of fentanyl hidden in her bra. The total amount of fentanyl found in North Dakota custody was 27.04 grams.