Ohio Woman Sentenced For Importing Drugs Into U.S.

CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX:  (716) 551-3051

BUFFALO, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Leeann Corley, 29, of Dayton, Ohio, who was convicted of importing approximately 32,000 pills containing methamphetamine, MDMA and BZP into the United States from Canada, was sentenced to 46 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.

     Assistant U.S Attorney Mary Catherine Baumgarten, who handled the case, stated that on March 3, 2011, the defendant attempted to enter the United States from Canada at the Peace Bridge as a passenger on a Greyhound bus. During a secondary inspection of the bus and its passengers, Corley was sent for a pat-down search after several inconsistencies were found in her statements to Customs and Border Protection Officers. During the search, officers located 33 ziplock bags containing multi-colored pills concealed in a bodysuit that the defendant was wearing.  

     A forensic analysis determined there were approximately 32,000 tablets containing methamphetamine, 3,4 methylene-dioxymethamphetamine, and benzylpiperazine, all controlled substances.

     The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Securiy Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero and Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Hilmey, Acting Director of Field Operations.