A Des Moines woman has been convicted of her role in a massive methamphetamine trafficking operation that distributed over 5,000 grams of the highly addictive and potent stimulant.
Katja Bails, 37, from Kiron, Iowa, pleaded guilty on July 17, 2015, in federal court in Sioux City to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Bails was involved in a conspiracy that operated from about 2012 and continued through November 2014. During this time, she traveled periodically from the Denison, Iowa, area to Omaha, Nebraska, to obtain large quantities of methamphetamine, which she then distributed in the Denison and Ida Grove, Iowa, areas.
The guilty plea was the result of an investigation by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Ida County Sheriff’s Office, Denison Police Department, and Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Bails faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
Bails will remain in custody pending sentencing, which will be set after a presentence report is prepared. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde.
Bails’ conviction is a significant blow to the methamphetamine trafficking operation in northwestern Iowa. The case highlights the importance of collaboration between law enforcement agencies in combating this serious crime.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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