SIOUX CITY – A Fort Dodge woman who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty October 3, 2022, in federal court in Sioux City.
Heather Gibson, 42, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distribution of methamphetamine within a protected location.
At the plea hearing, Gibson admitted that from December 2019 and December 2021, she and others were involved in a conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge area. Evidence showed that on three separate occasions, Gibson distributed a total of 47.24 grams of pure methamphetamine to individuals cooperating with law enforcement. Two of the controlled buys from Gibson occurred within 1000 feet of a protected location, namely Iowa Central Community College Transportation Technology Center in Fort Dodge, IA and Joe Heatherington Otho Fun Park, Otho, IA. Also, on December 1, 2021, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Gibson and seized 3.5 grams of methamphetamine from her person.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Gibson was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Gibson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 80 years’ imprisonment, a $30,000,000 fine, and 8 years to life of supervised release following imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.
