Nichole Marie Schmidt, age 43, from Galesburg, Illinois, was sentenced today to over 25 years in federal prison.
Schmidt received the prison term after a June 3, 2025, guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, and 50 grams of pure methamphetamine, commonly known as “ice.”
Evidence at the sentencing showed that between February 2024 and September 2024, Schmidt received pound quantities of methamphetamine from her source in Chicago, Illinois. Schmidt then distributed the methamphetamine to others in Iowa, knowing they would redistribute the drugs throughout the state.
In September 2024, Schmidt met her ex-husband in Davenport, Iowa,
where Schmidt rented a car. Schmidt’s ex-husband drove the rental car to Chicago, where he picked up drugs and a gun for Schmidt and a co-conspirator. Schmidt’s ex-husband then returned to Davenport, where he gave the drugs and gun to Schmidt and the co-conspirator. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers stopped the car Schmidt was driving. Her co-conspirator was in the passenger seat. During a search of the car, officers found approximately 12 pounds of pure methamphetamine, oxycodone, LSD, MDMA, cocaine, marijuana, and a loaded gun. Schmidt admitted that she intended to distribute the drugs to people throughout Iowa. In total, the court found Schmidt’s role in the conspiracy involved over 9,000,000 kilograms of converted drug weight, which included over 450 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, an amount the judge described as “astronomical.”
Schmidt has two prior felony drug convictions, including a prior federal conviction for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
Schmidt was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Schmidt was sentenced to 304 months’ imprisonment. She must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Corkery, and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl .
The case file number is 25-CR-1021.
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Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Northern District of Iowa — U.S. Department of Justice press release.