Lincoln Woman Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Sarah N. Baldwin, 31, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on October 27, 2023, in federal court in Lincoln for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual (pure).  Senior United States District Court Judge M. John Gerrard sentenced Baldwin to 120 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Baldwin’s release from prison, she will begin a five-year term of supervised release.

On February 10, 2022, Baldwin was a passenger in an SUV which was stopped on the shoulder of Interstate 80 in Lancaster County due to a mechanical issue.  A Lancaster County Sheriff’s deputy stopped to assist and during the contact learned the SUV had been reported stolen by Baldwin and that Baldwin had an active warrant for her arrest.  Baldwin was arrested on the warrant and taken to the Lancaster County Jail. 

After Baldwin was lodged in the Lancaster County Jail, investigators listened to phone calls she made from the jail in which she asked her mother to get the SUV and to get her son’s bookbag and another bag out of the SUV.  Investigators obtained consent to search the SUV from the registered owner and found a Nike fanny pack containing methamphetamine.   Baldwin made additional calls from the jail in which she asked a friend to get the fanny pack out of the SUV.  Testing of the contents of the fanny pack at the Nebraska State Patrol Crime lab showed it contained at least 100 grams, (approximately 3 ½ ounces), of actual (pure) methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.