Ashley Lynn Andrews, Fentanyl Distribution Resulting in Death, Iowa 2024

Defendant Sentenced to 192 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Fentanyl Resulting in Death

A Des Moines woman was sentenced to 192 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl resulting in death. Ashley Lynn Andrews, 38, was identified as the dealer of the fentanyl that killed a Des Moines man in January 2024.

According to public court documents, the Des Moines Police Department responded to the overdose death and conducted several controlled buys of fentanyl from Andrews. On April 12, 2024, Andrews was found slumped over the wheel of her vehicle at a gas station in possession of 36 grams of fentanyl, a distribution quantity. The fentanyl was found to be counterfeit, potentially lethal doses resembling pharmaceutical pills.

Fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. In 2023, accidental overdose was the number one cause of death in 37 states for residents under 40 years old. In Iowa, opioid-related deaths reached a record high 258 in 2021, up 64% compared with 2019.

After completing her term of imprisonment, Andrews will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Andrews was also ordered to pay $20,150 in restitution. Andrews’s co-defendants, Earl Sandeleo Galtney and Shannon D. Robertson, were previously sentenced to 142 months and 125 months in federal prison, respectively.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal made the announcement, praising the work of the Des Moines Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Central Iowa Gang Task Force, in investigating the case. The Des Moines Police Department responded to the overdose death and conducted several controlled buys of fentanyl from Andrews.

The investigation highlights the growing threat of fentanyl in Iowa and the need for continued efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. In Iowa, opioid-related deaths reached a record high 258 in 2021, up 64% compared with 2019.

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