Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
A Coralville woman has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a drug trafficking charge. Ashley Crystal Wachs, 36, admitted to transporting thousands of fentanyl pills from Seattle, Washington, into Coralville and surrounding areas for distribution.
According to court documents, law enforcement stopped Wachs’ vehicle on September 4, 2024. Officers with the Iowa State Patrol and Johnson County Drug Task Force seized over 250 grams of fentanyl, nearly 110 grams of flurofentanyl, and about 72 grams of methamphetamine during the stop. Wachs acknowledged her intent to distribute most of these substances.
United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Wachs in Cedar Rapids to 72 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Wachs remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending her transfer to a federal facility.
The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared Manternach and investigated by the Johnson County Drug Task Force and Iowa State Patrol.
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