Arizona Meth Kingpin Prince Gets 14 Years

Kristin P. Prince, 41, of Mesa, Arizona, is headed back behind bars — this time for 168 months — after a federal judge in East St. Louis handed down a 14-year prison sentence for the distribution of methamphetamine across state lines. The sentence, imposed in U.S. District Court, marks the end of a swift but damning federal case targeting a drug network flooding southern Illinois with crystal meth.

Prince was fined $300 and ordered to pay $200 in special assessments. Upon completion of his federal prison term, he will face an additional five years under supervised release — a condition imposed amid concerns over his repeated criminal pattern. Court records show the crimes occurred in January and February 2021, just months after Prince walked out of state prison on convictions for identity theft and felony Aggravated DUI — both serious offenses that already painted a picture of a man willing to break the law for profit.

Even more troubling: Prince was under state supervision in Arizona when he began shipping large quantities of methamphetamine to the Metro East region of Illinois through the U.S. Postal Service. Authorities say the shipments weren’t isolated incidents but part of a calculated, repeated effort to exploit mail delivery systems and feed addiction in vulnerable communities. Federal investigators intercepted multiple parcels, leading to the eventual indictment.

A federal grand jury charged Prince on Dec. 14, 2021, with two counts of distribution of a controlled substance. He entered a guilty plea on Aug. 29, 2022 — avoiding trial but sealing his fate under the weight of his own admissions. The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Postal Inspection Service spearheaded the investigation, tracking shipments, monitoring communications, and building a case that left no doubt about Prince’s role in the operation.

“This sentence demonstrates the severity of consequences for out-of-state individuals who infect our communities with methamphetamines,” said U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe. “I applaud the efforts by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service to disrupt the illegal chain of drug distribution into southern Illinois.”

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Sean Vickers of the DEA’s southern Illinois division called methamphetamine “the scourge of the Midwest.” He added, “Prince has proven he’ll take any action to make money off his illegal drug organization. It’s appropriate that federal authorities are matching that behavior with action that will keep this drug dealer behind bars for years.” Assistant U.S. Attorney John Trippi prosecuted the case.