FAYETTEVILLE, AR – Krystle Marie Owen, 36, of Springdale, Arkansas, will spend over eleven years in federal prison after being sentenced today for her role in a large-scale drug trafficking operation. Judge Timothy L. Brooks handed down a 137-month sentence followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.
The case began in March of 2021 when law enforcement started investigating a drug trafficking organization operating in the Western District of Arkansas, Fayetteville Division. Investigators quickly identified Owen as a key member of the network, relying on confidential source reporting to build their case. The investigation quickly revealed a sophisticated operation flooding Northwest Arkansas with dangerous narcotics.
In January of 2022, Rogers Police detectives executed a controlled purchase of methamphetamine directly from Owen. The substance was sent to the Department of Homeland Security Laboratory, and confirmed as methamphetamine. The following month, the Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force moved to arrest Owen, but she attempted to flee. Detectives recovered a package she’d just received containing over 1,600 fentanyl pills, clearly intended for distribution. This wasn’t a small-time operation; Owen was deeply involved in moving significant quantities of deadly drugs.
Federal prosecutors held Owen accountable not just for her direct actions, but for her broader participation in the entire drug organization. Fellow traffickers Antonio Hernandez, Michael Southerland, Troy Franklin, and Skylar Houston have already been sentenced in Federal Court for their roles in the conspiracy. This case highlights the interconnected nature of these criminal enterprises and the importance of targeting the entire network, not just street-level dealers.
“This sentence sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue and prosecute those who peddle poison in our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas. “The collaborative effort between local and federal agencies was crucial to dismantling this dangerous organization.”
The Fourth Judicial District Drug Task Force led the investigation, with significant assistance from the Rogers Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Harris prosecuted the case. This effort was also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, a program designed to dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations threatening the United States. More information on OCDETF can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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