NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

BETH PHILLIPS

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov../index.html

JULY 1, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HOLLISTER WOMAN SENTENCED FOR METH CONSPIRACY

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Hollister, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court today for participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Robin Gayle East, 49, of Hollister, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard E. Dorr to six years in federal prison without parole.

On Feb. 17, 2010, East was convicted at trial of participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine between April 14 and April 15, 2009. Co-defendant Kenneth Dale Woods, Jr., 43, of Branson, Mo., was sentenced to three years and four months in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to his role in the conspiracy and to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Woods was arrested on April 15, 2009, with approximately 4.5 ounces of methamphetamine. He told police officers that East was arranging for delivery of the methamphetamine from a source in California. During the trial, the government presented evidence that the conspiracy had taken place at various times during the 2004 - 2005 and 2008 - 2009 time periods. During the 2008-2009 time period, Woods indicated that East provided him four or five ounces of methamphetamine every week or two.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary K. Milligan. It was investigated by the Branson, Mo., Police Department and COMET (Combined Ozarks Multi-jurisdictional Enforcement Team).

****************

This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, is available on-line at

http://www.justice.gov../index.html