Hot Springs Woman Sentenced to 19 Years for Massive Meth Haul

Hot Springs, AR – Melissa Kay Lane, a 46-year-old Hot Springs woman, has been sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for her role in distributing more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine.

Lane’s sentence was handed down yesterday in the United States District Court in Hot Springs by the Honorable Judge Susan O. Hickey. Lane will also serve five years of supervised release following her prison term.

According to court documents, Lane was involved in two separate controlled purchases of methamphetamine in April and May 2021 in the Western District of Arkansas, Hot Springs Division. The DEA Southeast Laboratory determined that the suspected methamphetamine from both purchases totaled 219.13 grams, or approximately 8 ounces, of pure methamphetamine.

However, the investigation revealed that Lane was in possession of a much larger quantity of methamphetamine, with over 7 kilograms (approximately 15.5 pounds) found at her residence in September 2021. Lane was arrested on outstanding drug warrants issued by the State of Texas at the time.

The case was investigated by the DEA with assistance from the Hot Springs Police Department and the 18th East Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation.

U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas announced the sentencing. The OCDETF Program uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations threatening the United States. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.

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