Pierce County father gets years in prison for 15-month-old son’s fentanyl death
A Bonney Lake father was sentenced Wednesday to six-and-a-half years in prison for the death of his 15-month-old son, who ingested fentanyl left on a bed in their home.
Nicholas Lee Tucker, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter in Pierce County Superior Court, admitting to recklessly causing the death of Weston Tucker.
Judge Stanley Rumbaugh imposed the sentence, which was at the low end of the standard sentencing range of 6.5-8.5 years and was recommended by prosecutors and the defense. Rumbaugh said he expected Tucker to receive rehabilitation treatment monitored by the Department of Corrections. The sentence includes three years of community custody once Tucker is released. He had no prior felony convictions.
The child’s mother, Karlee Eley, pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter in July and was sentenced to 19 months. Her guilty-plea statement said she knew of Tucker’s extensive drug use and that he had a habit of storing drugs in children’s food containers.
At a court hearing in Eley’s case, her defense attorney said she left to run some errands the evening March 13, 2025, and during that time Tucker took a nap with Weston. The attorney said Tucker later told Child Protective Services he had substances around him on the bed, and next to him was his son, whom Tucker thought was sleeping.
When Eley got home, her attorney said, she noticed the smell of vomit and asked Tucker if Weston was OK. She saw vomit on Tucker’s mouth, then called 911. Bonney Lake police responded to the home, and emergency responders transported Weston to Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital.
Weston died days later. The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office determined he died of acute fentanyl toxicity.
In court Wednesday, deputy prosecuting attorney Christine Dickson said it was an incredibly sad case “all the way around,” and she said Tucker was taking responsibility for his actions.
Tucker appeared emotional throughout the hearing, occasionally wiping away tears. When it was his turn to speak, he said he would take his son’s place if he could go back in time.
“I’m sorry for everything I put everybody through,” Tucker said. “I hope my family can find it in their hearts to forgive me.”
Tucker’s defense attorney from the Department of Assigned Counsel, Leslie Tolzin, told the court that Tucker developed a drug addiction after he broke his leg at age 19, which required multiple surgeries. Tolzin said Tucker was given OxyContin, and that Tucker was now suffering the worst consequences of his addiction.
“He has suffered with this loss every day since it happened,” Tolzin said. “He’s going to live with it every day for the rest of his life.”
Before Rumbaugh handed Tucker his sentence, the judge told the defendant he recognized, as his attorney had articulated, that many times people who are addicted don’t seek help until they hit rock bottom. Rumbaugh said he would have thought that at some point in 15 years of addiction, Tucker would have recognized that he had a problem and sought help.
“But you didn’t, and now your son is dead,” Rumbaugh said. “And there’s nothing we can do to change that.”
This story was originally published September 3, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Pierce County father gets years in prison for 15-month-old son’s fentanyl death."
