Hot Springs, Arkansas – A Hot Springs woman has been sentenced to 188 months (15 years and eight months) in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for her role in distributing large quantities of methamphetamine. The sentencing took place in the U.S. District Court in Hot Springs, presided over by Chief Judge Susan O. Hickey.
Details of the Case
Teri Lee Patton, 41, was identified by law enforcement as a significant distributor of methamphetamine in the Hot Springs area. Between February and March 2023, investigators conducted multiple controlled purchases from Patton, which provided substantial evidence of her involvement in drug trafficking.
On March 15, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Patton’s residence. During the search, authorities seized approximately 448.54 grams of pure methamphetamine. The drugs seized from both the search and the controlled purchases were sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Laboratory for confirmatory testing. The tests confirmed a total of 523.27 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Legal Proceedings and Impact
U.S. Attorney David Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas announced the sentencing. The case was investigated by the DEA and the Hot Springs Police Department, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Achorn prosecuting.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, a nationwide initiative aimed at identifying, disrupting, and dismantling high-level criminal organizations. OCDETF operations use a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach to target the most dangerous criminal networks.
For more information about OCDETF, visit justice.gov/OCDETF.
