A UniSea worker in Unalaska died of a methamphetamine overdose on Feb. 2, 2025. Now a California woman is charged in that death.
A federal grand jury in Alaska indicted Darlene Moreno, 44, on July 21. Moreno, of Port Hueneme, California, was arrested on Aug. 7.
Moreno is charged with three felony counts: one count of distribution of methamphetamine resulting in death, and two counts of use of a communication facility in committing, causing and facilitating the commission of a drug trafficking felony.
Prosecutors accuse Moreno of sending the meth that killed the worker, and using Facebook Messenger to arrange the sale. The most serious count Moreno faces carries a mandatory minimum of 20 years.
Court filings don’t name the UniSea worker, who was age 48. The filings say the worker first worked for the seafood processing plant in 2022, then returned to Unalaska in January 2025 for the winter fishing season.
Prosecutors allege Moreno mailed the worker half an ounce of methamphetamine on Jan. 21, and the worker picked up the package on Jan. 31.
On Feb. 2, Unalaska police were called to a UniSea building at 1 a.m. A worker was showing signs that officers described as drug-related conditions.
Officers found the worker swaying on the steps, confused about what day it was and where they were. The Unalaska fire chief and EMS took over and brought the worker to the clinic, where staff found a bag on the worker containing a crystal substance that tested positive for meth.
The worker died shortly after. The state medical examiner ruled the cause of death was methamphetamine intoxication.
Prosecutors said the worker used less than two grams of the roughly 14 grams Moreno sent, and that the meth was 98% pure.
The case is being prosecuted in federal court in Alaska.
