Federal prison awaits Santa Monica woman caught mailing drugs from Utah to Wisconsin

A Santa Monica woman was sentenced to eight years in federal prison on August 22 for attempting to possess methamphetamine intended for distribution. Heather Carter, 50, received the sentence from Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson after pleading guilty to the charge on March 14.

The case began in January 2022 when law enforcement received information about Carter's regular trips to California to purchase methamphetamine, which she allegedly mailed back to Wisconsin for distribution. On September 19, 2022, authorities intercepted a package Carter mailed from Washington, Utah, to her home in Coon Valley, Wisconsin. The package contained cocaine, fentanyl, and 422 grams of methamphetamine.

U.S. Postal Inspectors, acting on a search warrant, removed the drugs and delivered the package to Carter's Wisconsin address. She was arrested upon receipt but later fled to California while released pending trial. In August 2023, a University of California Los Angeles police officer arrested Carter during a traffic stop, discovering fake identification documents, multiple license plates, and 800 grams of methamphetamine in her vehicle.

At the sentencing, Judge Peterson characterized Carter as a mid-level dealer involved in distributing dangerous substances. He noted that Carter had immediately returned to criminal behavior after fleeing from pretrial release.

Timothy M. O'Shea, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced the sentencing. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Crawford County Sheriff's Office, the West Central Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma prosecuted the case.