Rebecca Stampe
Sentencing was delayed on Monday for a woman charged in Rhea County's largest meth bust after her attorney brought up the issue of why charges were dropped against her co-defendant.
Jackson Whetsel, representing Rebecca Stampe, said Michael Lynn Loden had been charged with similar counts. However, they were dismissed with little explanation from the government.
A government filing says the dismissal came because "during trial preparation, the government discovered circumstances apart from evidence of the defendant's guilty with prevent the U.S. from moving forward."
Prosecutor Jay Woods would not elaborate further in court.
Judge Sandy Mattice indicated he was not willing to ask the government to submit more information on the dismissal that he could view privately and then determine if the dismissal was valid.
He said, "That might not be a big deal in this case, but in the future it would set a precedent that would be a very big deal." He said such decisions were in the purvey of the executive, not the judicial, though he said some judges across the country disagree.
After a brief private discussion with her attorney, Ms. Stampe asked for a delay in her sentencing and it was granted.
She earlier pleaded guilty to distributing over 500 grams of meth and agreed to a sentence of 168 months in federal prison.
The government said Ms. Stampe provided meth to Loden and others.
The Rhea County Sheriff's Office began an investigation after getting a tip that Ms. Stampe was dealing in drugs.
On Nov. 15, 2017, Rhea County Sheriff Mike Neal was among those taking part in a raid at her residence at Spring City.
Detectives found a pound of meth in 20 separate baggies, digital scales and $2,559 cash. They also found several guns, including a loaded revolver in Ms. Stampe's bedroom. A search of her purse turned up another $4,868 in cash.