Des Moines Woman Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Meth Conspiracy

Pamela Brownell, 64, from Des Moines, Iowa was sentenced on October 1, 2024 to 152 months in federal prison after a May 28, 2024, guilty plea in federal court in Sioux City, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings, showed that from September 2022 through October 2023, Brownell and others conspired to distribute more than 65 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Des Moines/Fort Dodge, Iowa areas.  In October 2023, law enforcement purchased 3 ounces and ½ pound of methamphetamine from Brownell in two controlled drug transactions.  In October 2023, a traffic stop of Brownell, followed by a search warrant at her residence resulted in the seizure of 2½ pounds of methamphetamine which she intended to distribute to others.  In 2006 Brownell was previously convicted in federal court of an attempt to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute. 

Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand.  Brownell was sentenced to 152 months’ imprisonment and must serve a term of eight-years of supervised release following the imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Brownell remains in custody of the United States Marshal until she can be transported to a federal prison.  

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Iowa State Patrol, the Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Polk, Hamilton, and Webster County Sheriffs’ Offices.  

Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.

The case file number is 24-3007.  Follow us on Twitter @USAO_NDIA.