Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
Betty Nora Anderson, a 65-year-old resident of Phoenix, has been sentenced to 100 months in prison by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez. This will be followed by 60 months of supervised release. Anderson had previously pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute these substances, and falsification of records in a bankruptcy proceeding.
In September 2022, Anderson was apprehended by United States Customs and Border Protection officers as she attempted to smuggle significant quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico using her vehicle. Following her arrest, she was allowed to stay in the community pending trial but absconded twice from court supervision, which led to her pre-trial incarceration.
While evading justice in March 2023, Anderson filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona. Her petition included false statements that resulted in the discharge of debts owed to creditors. As part of her sentencing, she has been ordered to make restitution amounting to $52,358.
The prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation aimed at targeting high-level drug traffickers and criminal organizations threatening the U.S., through a multi-agency approach involving federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
The investigation was conducted by United States Customs and Border Protection along with Homeland Security Investigations in Nogales, Arizona. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael R. Lizano and Micah Schmit from the District of Arizona in Tucson.
