Responsible for over two pounds of ice methamphetamine in 2021

A woman who was trafficking ice methamphetamine was sentenced today to more than seven years in federal prison.

Mary Lavone Linnell, age 62, from West Chester, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 18, 2022 guilty plea to possession of ice methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it.

Evidence disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that law enforcement stopped Linnell in a vehicle with approximately a quarter pound of ice methamphetamine in November 2021.  Other evidence showed that, in total, she bought over two pounds of ice methamphetamine for redistribution throughout 2021.  Linnell has multiple prior convictions for operating vehicles while under the influence and for possessing controlled substances.  She also has convictions for distributing methamphetamine and possessing cocaine with intent to deliver it.

Linnell was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge C.J. Williams.  She was sentenced to 92 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Linnell 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 Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Johnson County Drug Task Force, Cedar Rapids Police Department, and the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office. 

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.  The case file number is 22-CR-61.

Original source can be found here.