A Des Moines woman has been sentenced to 192 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in a fatal overdose. The sentencing took place on August 28, 2025.
Court documents show that on January 6, 2024, the Des Moines Police Department responded to the overdose death of a local man. Ashley Lynn Andrews, age 38, was identified as the source of the fentanyl involved in the incident. Following this, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from Andrews. On April 12, 2024, officers found Andrews at a gas station slumped over the wheel of her vehicle and in possession of 36 grams of fentanyl.
After serving her prison sentence, Andrews will be subject to four years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $20,150 in restitution. Federal prisoners are not eligible for parole.
Two co-defendants were previously sentenced in connection with this case. In March 2025, Earl Sandeleo Galtney of Cedar Rapids received a sentence of 142 months in federal prison. Shannon D. Robertson of Chicago was sentenced to 125 months.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal for the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing. The investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations Central Iowa Gang Task Force.
Fentanyl is now recognized as the leading cause of drug overdose deaths across the United States. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl often look like prescription medication but can have lethal doses. In 2023, accidental overdoses became the primary cause of death for people under age 40 in 37 states (https://stateline.org/2023/09/05/death-rates-for-people-under-40-have-skyrocketed-blame-fentanyl/). Iowa reported a record high number of opioid-related deaths—258—in 2021, which marked a significant increase from previous years before declining slightly by eight percent in 2022 (https://hhs.iowa.gov/media/11935/download).
"Thereafter, law enforcement conducted several controlled buys of fentanyl from Andrews."
"On April 12, 2024, Andrews was found slumped over the wheel of her vehicle at a gas station in possession of 36 grams of fentanyl, a distribution quantity."
"Andrews was also ordered to pay $20,150 in restitution."
"United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement."
"This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Central Iowa Gang Task Force."
