Sioux City Woman Pleads Guilty to Meth Conspiracy

A woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty February 18, 2021, in federal court in Sioux City, Iowa.

Jennie Kazena, 38, from Sioux City, was convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  Kazena was previously convicted in federal court of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on February 19, 2010

At the plea hearing, Kazena admitted that between on or about January 2019 and continuing to on or about October 2019 she and others distributed more than 150 grams of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area.  In March 2019, in a traffic stop in South Dakota, Kazena was found to possess 12 grams of methamphetamine.  In October 2019, in a controlled operation by law enforcement, Kazena distributed nearly ¼ pound of methamphetamine to a confidential informant.  Later, in October 2019, in a traffic stop by Sioux City police, Kazena was found to possess ½ ounce of methamphetamine. Kazena admitted to agents her involvement in the distribution of about two pounds of methamphetamine in the Sioux City area.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared.  Kazena remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing.  Kazena faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $20,000,000 fine, and at least 10 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. 

The case file number is 20-4037.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.