Three Men and Two Women Sentenced for Meth Trafficking Conspiracy

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that five defendants convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, have been sentenced to federal prison terms by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Luis Padilla-Ambriz, a/k/a Jose Ramirez, age 24, from Glendale, AZ, was sentenced on December 14, 2020, to 210 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Kevin Lee Jenson, age 32, from Carver, MN, was sentenced on June 17, 2019, to 235 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Heidi Ann Austin, age 39, from Rice, MN, was sentenced on June 6, 2019, to 188 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Anthony Lovell Laws, Jr., age 39, from Buckeye, AZ, was sentenced on September 23, 2019, to 46 months of federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Erin M. Hinkle, age 35, from Huntington Beach, California was sentenced on May 11, 2020, to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Jenson, Austin, Padilla-Ambriz, Laws, and Hinkle were indicted by a federal grand jury on February 5, 2019.  Jenson pled guilty on April 3, 2019, Austin pled guilty on March 25, 2019, Padilla-Ambriz pled guilty on September 23, 2020, Laws pled guilty on July 1, 2019, and Hinkle pled guilty on January 6, 2020.

Beginning on an unknown date, until on or about February 5, 2019, in the District of South Dakota, all defendants, knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, with others known and unknown, to intentionally distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.  Methamphetamine is a Schedule II controlled substance.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Criminal Investigation, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Lakes to River Drug Task Force, and the Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.

All defendants were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their sentencing.