Western Iowa Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced on September 19, 2019, Chase Lee Richard, age 34; Brandy Lee Kumpula, age 28; and Jackie Lynn Thielan, age 31, were sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine by United States District Court Judge John A. Jarvey. Richard was sentenced to 15 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release; Kumpula was sentenced to eight years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release; and Thielen was sentenced to 10 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

In late 2017, the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force began investigating a large drug trafficking organization that was transporting large quantities of methamphetamine in and around the Western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska areas. As part of that investigation, law enforcement determined that Jackie Thielen was transporting and distributing large amounts of the methamphetamine to various locations in Shelby County, Iowa. Law enforcement determined that Thielen was obtaining the methamphetamine from Chase Richard. Law enforcement learned that Richard was also providing large quantities of methamphetamine to multiple people including Brandy Kumpula, who was selling methamphetamine to individuals in Council Bluffs and Omaha.

Previously sentenced in this case were Jessica Snavely to a prison term of ten years and William LaBenz to a prison term of five years. Four additional defendants are pending sentencing.

The case was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, Omaha Police Department, Southwest Iowa Narcotics Task Force, Council Bluffs Police Department, Harlan Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.