Elizabeth Lopez, a 30-year-old woman from Omaha, Nebraska, is headed to federal prison for her role in a methamphetamine distribution ring that operated in and around Sioux City, Iowa. On October 24, 2016, Lopez was sentenced to 120 months in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute.
The conviction followed a May 26, 2016, jury trial that exposed Lopez’s role in a multi-month drug scheme spanning 2015. Evidence presented during the trial proved she conspired to distribute at least 50 grams of pure methamphetamine in the Sioux City area. Investigators detailed how, on August 4, 2015, Lopez traveled from Omaha to Sioux City with approximately one ounce of actual meth hidden in her bra.
U.S. District Court Judge Mark W. Bennett handed down the sentence in Sioux City, imposing the maximum term for the charges. Lopez was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment and will serve a mandatory five-year period of supervised release upon completing her prison term. There is no parole in the federal system, meaning Lopez will serve every day of her sentence.
The case was led by the Tri-State Drug Task Force, a coalition of local, state, and federal agencies working to dismantle drug networks across the region. Participating agencies included the Drug Enforcement Administration, Sioux City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, South Sioux City Police, Nebraska State Patrol, Iowa National Guard, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, U.S. Marshals Service, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde prosecuted the case, building a conviction on physical evidence, surveillance, and testimony from cooperating law enforcement. The successful prosecution underscores the federal government’s ongoing crackdown on meth trafficking in rural and border-adjacent communities like Sioux City.
Lopez remains in the custody of the United States Marshals until she is transferred to a designated federal prison. The case, filed under number 15-4051, is publicly accessible through the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa’s electronic filing system. For updates, follow @USAO_NDIA on Twitter.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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