Timothy T. Duax U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa
Nichole Marie Schmidt, a 43-year-old resident of Galesburg, Illinois, has been sentenced to more than 25 years in federal prison for her involvement in a drug distribution ring operating in Iowa.
Schmidt pleaded guilty on June 3, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine mixture and at least 50 grams of pure methamphetamine. Evidence presented during sentencing revealed that from February to September 2024, Schmidt obtained large quantities of methamphetamine from a supplier in Chicago and distributed them to individuals in Iowa for further redistribution across the state.
In September 2024, Schmidt met her ex-husband in Davenport, Iowa. She rented a car which her ex-husband then drove to Chicago. There he collected drugs and a firearm intended for Schmidt and another co-conspirator. Upon returning to Davenport, he delivered the items to Schmidt and the co-conspirator. Shortly after this exchange, law enforcement stopped the vehicle with Schmidt driving and her co-conspirator as passenger. Officers discovered approximately 12 pounds of pure methamphetamine along with oxycodone, LSD, MDMA, cocaine, marijuana, and a loaded gun during their search.
Schmidt admitted she planned to distribute these drugs throughout Iowa. The court determined that her role in the conspiracy involved more than nine million kilograms of converted drug weight—including over 450 kilograms of pure methamphetamine—an amount described by the judge as “astronomical.”
Schmidt has two previous felony drug convictions; one is a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams handed down the sentence—304 months’ imprisonment—in Cedar Rapids. Following her release from prison, Schmidt will serve five years under supervised release. Federal prisoners are not eligible for parole.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and Dubuque Police Department.
