Eagle Grove, Iowa Man Sentenced To Federal Prison For Methamphetamine Conspiracy

A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine was sentenced November 3, 2014, to more than 10 years in federal prison.
                     
Robert Asche, 48, from Eagle Grove, Iowa, received the prison term after a June 10, 2014, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Asche was previously convicted of attempted sale of dangerous drugs, and sale of less than one pound of marijuana.

At the guilty plea, Asche admitted his involvement from 2011 through March 2012 in a conspiracy that distributed more than 50 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine.  On March 15, 2012, Department of Homeland Security (HSI) agents intercepted a package at Federal Express in Memphis, Tennessee being shipped from Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico, to Eagle Grove, Iowa.  Pursuant to x-ray inspection and a later physical search of the package, agents found one pound of methamphetamine hidden inside the horn of a horse saddle being shipped to Asche.  Asche admitted that in March of 2012, he arranged for the delivery of methamphetamine by mail.   

Asche was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett.  Asche was sentenced to 138 months’ imprisonment.  A special assessment of $100 was imposed.  He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Asche is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Iowa Department of Narcotics Enforcement, and Drug Enforcement Administration. 

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 13-3040.