Sentenced defendant thankful for arrest

Long-term opiate addiction led to poor choices, woman says

EPHRATA – Melissa Shelby Mattingly, 48, of Moses Lake was sentenced after entering guilty pleas on six felony charges – and thanked the court for compassion and said that her arrest was a blessing. “I think my arrest probably saved my life, and although I am facing an exorbitant amount of time away from my children and my parents, I know that I am lucky to still have my life, and I hope that I can at least use my experiences to let other people know that this is the result of fentanyl,” Mattingly said prior to sentencing.