Heather Vanderpool Press Release (Sentencing)

May 14, 2008
For Immediate Release

SIX ST. CHARLES & LINCOLN COUNTY PEOPLE FACE FEDERAL PRISON ON METHAMPHETAMINE CHARGES

St. Louis, MO: Six St. Charles and Lincoln County people face federal prison on methamphetamine charges, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway, Lincoln County Sheriff Kent Hanshew and St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas announced today.

“Six people have pled guilty, five have been sentenced to prison and one remaining defendant is facing up to 20 years in federal prison, for the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine,” said Hanaway.

“The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department will continue to work with the United States Attorney’s Office, St. Charles County Prosecutors Office and the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force in removing harmful substances from our counties,” said Lincoln County Sheriff Kent Hanshew.

HEATHER LOUISE VANDERPOOL, St. Charles, Missouri, was sentenced to 46 months prison last January on the original indictment. She pled guilty today on a new charge of possession with intent to distribute five grams of methamphetamine. In addition to the 46 months, she is facing a penalty range of five to 40 years in prison on the new charge when she is sentenced on June 20, 2008.

Co-defendant DAVID W. VANDERPOOL pled guilty May 1 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced in July.

SHAWN R. TILLER, Winfield, Missouri, was sentenced to 41 months prison yesterday, May 13; ANDREW RAYMOND STROER, Foley, Missouri, was sentenced to 60 months prison in March 2008; MELYNDA KAYE JACKSON, St. Charles, Missouri, was sentenced to 37 months prison in March 2008; and JAMIE MARIE HALL, was sentenced in March to 60 months prison.

In September 2006, investigators with the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at a home in St. Charles, Missouri, owned by Heather Louise Vanderpool. When officers entered the home, they encountered co-defendant Melynda Jackson, who informed them that Heather Vanderpool had just left with co-defendant Andrew Stroer. During a search, investigators located a number of items associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine. Some of these items were located inside a basement crawlspace, which also contained a number of small baggies of methamphetamine, and a black purse containing a casino card bearing the name of Heather Louise Vanderpool. The purse also contained methamphetamine, pseudoephedrine pills and drug paraphernalia. The total amount of mixture or substance containing methamphetamine seized from the residence was approximately 5 grams.

In June 2007, investigators with the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force executed a second search warrant at Vanderpool’s residence. She was present and investigators again located a number of items consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine, including a mason jar containing liquid and an orange sediment. The jar containing the liquid and sediment was subsequently tested at the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department Criminalistics Laboratory and discovered to contain approximately 305 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.

On September 13, 2007, Heather Louise Vanderpool was arrested at a residence in Foristell, Missouri, on an outstanding federal arrest warrant. At the time of her arrest, detectives retrieved seven small plastic bags of what appeared to be methamphetamine from her waistband, and an additional bag that was located on the floor next to her. The eight bags were subsequently taken to the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department Criminalistics Laboratory, where they were tested and discovered to contain a total of 10.2 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.

In addition to the Lincoln County Sheriff and Prosecuting Attorney Banas, Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force.

UNITED STATES ATTORNEY'S OFFICE EASTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI CATHERINE L. HANAWAY United States Attorney	NEWS RELEASE
For further information: Call Public Affairs Officer Jan Diltz at (314) 539-7719
May 14, 2008 For Immediate Release SIX ST. CHARLES & LINCOLN COUNTY PEOPLE FACE FEDERAL PRISON ON METHAMPHETAMINE CHARGES St. Louis, MO: Six St. Charles and Lincoln County people face federal prison on methamphetamine charges, United States Attorney Catherine L. Hanaway, Lincoln County Sheriff Kent Hanshew and St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Jack Banas announced today. “Six people have pled guilty, five have been sentenced to prison and one remaining defendant is facing up to 20 years in federal prison, for the manufacture and distribution of methamphetamine,” said Hanaway. “The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department will continue to work with the United States Attorney’s Office, St. Charles County Prosecutors Office and the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force in removing harmful substances from our counties,” said Lincoln County Sheriff Kent Hanshew. HEATHER LOUISE VANDERPOOL, St. Charles, Missouri, was sentenced to 46 months prison last January on the original indictment. She pled guilty today on a new charge of possession with intent to distribute five grams of methamphetamine. In addition to the 46 months, she is facing a penalty range of five to 40 years in prison on the new charge when she is sentenced on June 20, 2008. Co-defendant DAVID W. VANDERPOOL pled guilty May 1 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison when he is sentenced in July. SHAWN R. TILLER, Winfield, Missouri, was sentenced to 41 months prison yesterday, May 13; ANDREW RAYMOND STROER, Foley, Missouri, was sentenced to 60 months prison in March 2008; MELYNDA KAYE JACKSON, St. Charles, Missouri, was sentenced to 37 months prison in March 2008; and JAMIE MARIE HALL, was sentenced in March to 60 months prison. In September 2006, investigators with the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at a home in St. Charles, Missouri, owned by Heather Louise Vanderpool. When officers entered the home, they encountered co-defendant Melynda Jackson, who informed them that Heather Vanderpool had just left with co-defendant Andrew Stroer. During a search, investigators located a number of items associated with the manufacture of methamphetamine. Some of these items were located inside a basement crawlspace, which also contained a number of small baggies of methamphetamine, and a black purse containing a casino card bearing the name of Heather Louise Vanderpool. The purse also contained methamphetamine, pseudoephedrine pills and drug paraphernalia. The total amount of mixture or substance containing methamphetamine seized from the residence was approximately 5 grams. In June 2007, investigators with the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force executed a second search warrant at Vanderpool’s residence. She was present and investigators again located a number of items consistent with the manufacture of methamphetamine, including a mason jar containing liquid and an orange sediment. The jar containing the liquid and sediment was subsequently tested at the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department Criminalistics Laboratory and discovered to contain approximately 305 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. On September 13, 2007, Heather Louise Vanderpool was arrested at a residence in Foristell, Missouri, on an outstanding federal arrest warrant. At the time of her arrest, detectives retrieved seven small plastic bags of what appeared to be methamphetamine from her waistband, and an additional bag that was located on the floor next to her. The eight bags were subsequently taken to the St. Charles County Sheriff's Department Criminalistics Laboratory, where they were tested and discovered to contain a total of 10.2 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine. In addition to the Lincoln County Sheriff and Prosecuting Attorney Banas, Hanaway commended the work performed on the case by the St. Charles County Regional Drug Task Force.