United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Arkansas

08/20/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/21/2024 05:16

Hot Springs Woman Sentenced to More Than 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking Offense

HOT SPRINGS - A Hot Springs woman was sentenced yesterday to 188 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release on one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute More Than Fifty (50) Grams of Methamphetamine. The Honorable Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey presided over the sentencing hearing in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs.

According to court documents, Teri Lee Patton, age 41, was identified by law enforcement to be distributing methamphetamine in the Hot Springs, Arkansas area.

Between the months of February of 2023 and March of 2023, investigators were able to conduct multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Patton.

On March 15, 2023, a search was conducted at Patton'sresidence, resulting in investigators locating and seizing approximately 448.54 grams of pure methamphetamine. The methamphetamine seized during the search warrant and from the controlled purchases was subsequently forwarded to the Drug Enforcement Administration Laboratory for confirmatory testing and determined to be a total of 523.27 grams of pure methamphetamine.

U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Hot Springs Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. 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 @ www.pacer.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link..