Alta, Iowa, Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Conspiracy

A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced April 10, 2015, to eight years in federal prison.

Amanda Lee, age 23, from Alta, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 12, 2014, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture.

At the guilty plea, Lee admitted her involvement from February 2013 through February 2014, in a conspiracy that distributed at least 1500 grams of methamphetamine mixture.  On February 14, 2014, Sioux City police officers were dispatched to a motel where defendant stayed.  Officers found methamphetamine and a loaded revolver.  An iPhone was seized from defendant that revealed several text messages with drug-related content and drug-related photos.  Transcripts from the stored text messages revealed the defendant sold methamphetamine and possessed a handgun.  Defendant was being supplied methamphetamine and was re-selling it in the Sioux City area.

Lee was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett.  Lee was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment.  A special assessment of $100 was imposed.  She must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

Lee is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jack Lammers and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, which consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshal Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/.  The case file number is 14-4039.

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