A woman agents say helped set up a Polk County drug ring was sentenced on Monday to serve 11 years and three months in federal prison.
Sarah McElhannon appeared before Federal Judge Sandy Mattice.
She initially was facing a sentencing range of 157-188 months. However, she got a reduction based on expected sentence cuts under the Fair Sentence Act. She also got a reduction when Judge Mattice said the government had not proven that she knew that guns were involved in the drug activity.
Attorney Graham Swafford said Ms. McElhannon never carried a gun or saw anyone else involved in the conspiracy with a gun during drug-buying trips to Atlanta.
He did acknowledge that she connected Robin and Corey Welch with a drug supplier at a trailer park outside Atlanta.
Ms. McElhannon would get a share of the meth for her personal use, it was stated.
Attorney Swafford said he did not like some of his clients, but he called the 44-year-old Ms. McElhannon "a sweet little girl.".
Prosecutor Terra Bay said Ms. McElhannon had 16 prior convictions, including two drug felony counts.