Supplying meth puts Redfield man in prison

A man a prosecutor believes was the main supplier of methamphetamine to Spink and Faulk counties was sentenced to prison on Tuesday.

Edward A. Barrett, 49, of Redfield previously pleaded guilty to unauthorized possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, a felony. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison with six years suspended. He must also pay $104 in court costs and make restitution for testing and court-appointed attorney costs.

Vic Fischbach, Spink County state’s attorney, said Barrett was using a shipping company to send in packages of methamphetamine from Arizona. The last package contained 36 grams of meth, a substantial amount,Fischbach said. He said authorities believe Barrett was having meth shipped into the region since at least January and that he was arrested Sept. 19.

“This methamphetamine is very powerful,” Fischbach said. “The substance we’re looking at is crystal clear, which tends to show that it is very potent.”

Tips from the public led authorities to execute a search warrant on Barrett’s last package, Fischbach said, adding that a drug dog was used to detect the meth.

In exchange for the guilty plea and a prison term, other related charges against Barrett were dismissed, Fischbach said.

About a dozen people were arrested in connection with Barrett’s case, Fischbach said. They include Adriana A Lopez, 39, of Redfield, who recently pleaded guilty to ingesting methamphetamine, a felony. She has yet to be sentenced.

Kathy L. Pool, 56, of Redfield also pleaded guilty to ingesting meth in the case. She was sentenced to 20 days in jail and three years on probation and fined $804, including court costs. Fischbach said Pool is already up on a probation revocation.

Dennis Waddington, 60, of Redfield and Christopher E. Knoll, 36, of Redfield both previously pleaded guilty to ingestion of methamphetamine in the case and received prison terms.

In an unrelated case, Fischbach said that Ashley L. Contreras, 33, of Mandan, N.D., pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine. A five-year prison term was suspended, but she must spend 20 days in jail. She was fined $804, including court costs.

Fischbach said the charges against Contreras stem from a Sept. 7 traffic stop by the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

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