Minnesota Woman Sentenced to 6 Years for Methamphetamine Conspiracy
MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Pader Yang, 30, St. Paul, Minnesota, was sentenced Friday, May 14 by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 72 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. This prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Yang pleaded guilty to this charge on February 18, 2021.
On July 15, 2020, law enforcement officers were investigating an anonymous complaint that Kong Vang and his girlfriend, Pader Yang, were selling large quantities of methamphetamine out of their residence in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Officers began to conduct surveillance on the residence and observed people arriving, going in and out of the garage, and then immediately returning to their cars or bicycles.
Based on their observations, and the fact that Kong Vang was on state supervision for prior convictions involving methamphetamine trafficking, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and 2nd degree recklessly endangering safety, law enforcement searched Vang and Yang’s residence. During the search of a bedroom shared by Vang and Yang, officers located a safe containing four loaded handguns, eight bags of methamphetamine, and just under $12,000. Officers found a fifth loaded firearm elsewhere in the bedroom, and additional drugs, paraphernalia, and ammunition throughout the residence, the garage, and in a vehicle recently driven by Yang. In total, officers found approximately 254 grams of “ice” methamphetamine and over 250 grams of marijuana.
Law enforcement officers later searched Vang and Yang’s cell phones and located many conversations relating to sales of significant quantities of methamphetamine. Based on the evidence in the case, officers believed Yang was picking up and carrying multiple pounds of methamphetamine across state lines from Minnesota to Wisconsin.
In imposing the sentence, Judge Conley emphasized the severity of Yang’s conduct given the substantial quantity of drugs she was making available in the community.
Kong Vang pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison by Judge Conley on April 29, 2021.
The charge against Yang was the result of an investigation conducted by the La Crosse Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Anderson.
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