Manhattan Man Enters Plea Deal on Fentanyl Charges

Gary Keith Bouck Jr., 52, pleaded guilty to distributing 10 or fewer units of fentanyl and using his phone in the commission of a drug felony. The first count reflects a decrease from Bouck's original charge of conspiracy to distribute more than 1,000 units of fentanyl.

He was arrested June 6 and has remained in custody at the Riley County Jail on $25,000 bond. Bouck's attorney, Joshua Seiden, made a motion Monday to have his client's bail reduced, but the motion was denied by Judge John Bosch.

Bouck will be sentenced during Bosch's Nov. 17 docket.

According to Kansas Department of Corrections records, Bouck was discharged from state supervision on May 22, 2025. He has prior convictions in Saline County for criminal use of a financial card and theft by deception, both sentenced in November 2024. He also has a 2021 Riley County conviction for possession of opiates, opium, narcotic drugs or designated stimulants, for which he was sentenced in May 2023.

Bouck's convictions are connected to the crimes of Catrien Van Petten, 36, of Manhattan. Van Petten's trial in Riley County District Court ended Wednesday with a jury convicting her of five charges, including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other drugs near a school.

Van Petten was convicted of conspiracy to distribute more than 1,000 units of fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a school, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, possession with the intent to distribute between 10 and 99 units of fentanyl within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

She was arrested by Riley County Police officers in May 2024 for the crimes. She reportedly had more than 7,000 fentanyl pills that she was selling and intending to sell. Her trial began Tuesday with Riley County District Court Judge John Bosch and ended a day earlier than scheduled.

Van Petten is scheduled for sentencing at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 10.