Woman Involved in Meth Conspiracy Sentenced to Prison

A woman who hid in locations in Florida, Texas, California and Arizona to avoid prosecution before being found and arrested in California was sentenced May 21, 2018, to nearly 4 years in federal prison.

Angela Suzanne Nichols, 43, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 15, 2018, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.   

At the guilty plea, Nichols admitted her involvement in a conspiracy that distributed more than 5 grams of actual (pure) methamphetamine from January through June 2016.  Nichols further admitted she aided and abetted Andre Brown in the distribution of more than 40 grams of ice methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement in January 2016. 

Nichols was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Nichols was sentenced to 45 months’ imprisonment.  She must also serve a 4-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Nichols is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Mikala M. Steenholdt and investigated by the 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 17-4041. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.