GREAT FALLS, MONTANA – Three members of a Lewistown family were sentenced today for their roles in a methamphetamine trafficking scheme in which meth was sent from California to Lewistown for distribution, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said.
Kathleen Elizabeth Francis, 54, of Lewistown, was sentenced to 42 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Francis’ daughter, Amber Rachelle Carr, 36, of Lewistown, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and four years of supervised release. Francis’ mother, Shirley Ann Adcock, 73, of Springfield, Michigan, formerly of California, was sentenced to eight months in prison and three years of supervised release. Francis and Adcock pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute meth, while Carr pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth. All three defendants pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2020.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and ordered the defendants to self-report to prison.
In court documents filed in the case, the government alleged that in May 2019, the Lewistown Police Department learned that Francis was receiving packages of meth in the mail from the Bakersfield area in California. The investigation determined that Francis received delivery on two to three parcels per month. When a suspect package arrived addressed to Francis on September 2019 at the Lewistown Post Office, officers obtained a federal search warrant for the package and found it contained about 15 grams of meth. The package was delivered, officers executed a search warrant of Francis’ residence and arrested Francis. While officers were at the home, Carr arrived and was detained.
Carr admitted she had drugs sent to her mother’s house and said that the meth was shipped by Adcock, her grandmother, from California. Francis admitted she was using meth and allowed meth to be shipped to her home in exchange for Carr giving her meth to use. Adcock admitted to mailing the intercepted package, to mailing packages of meth to Francis on two or three prior occasions and to receiving money orders or money transfers for payment of the drugs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Starnes prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Lewistown Police Department.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative to reduce violent crime. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports, violent crime in Montana increased by 48% from 2013 to 2019. Through PSN, federal, tribal, state and local law enforcement partners in Montana focus on violent crime driven by methamphetamine trafficking, armed robbers, firearms offenses and violent offenders with outstanding warrants.