A Riverside woman with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced Friday to 11 years in federal prison for several incidents in which she possessed or sold a total of more than 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine, twice in the presence of two children.
Charlene Nicole Simmons, 41, pleaded guilty in October in Los Angeles to one count of distribution of methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In May 2018 in Riverside County, Simmons was driving a car and was pulled over by law enforcement. During a search of her car, in which a minor was present, law enforcement seized a quarter-pound of methamphetamine. In March 2019 also in Riverside County, Simmons sold 6.14 grams of methamphetamine to a buyer for $650. Later that same day, Simmons sold the buyer nearly one pound of methamphetamine for $1,460.
In May 2019, Simmons possessed with intent to distribute 132.87 grams of methamphetamine in a backpack when she — along with two minor girls in her car — was pulled over by law enforcement.
Simmons possessed a total of 1.6 pounds of methamphetamine, federal prosecutors said.
“During the times that (Simmons) possessed with intent to distribute methamphetamine, she brought minor girls with her and at least once directed one of the minors to conceal (the) crime,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum, which describes the defendant as “a recidivist now 10-time-felon with over two decades of criminal history.”
Prior to this case, Simmons had nine felony convictions and five misdemeanor convictions between 1999 and 2011, including a felony drug trafficking conviction for selling methamphetamine, according to court documents.
“Further, she did not just sell methamphetamine, she also sold a firearm during a drug deal,” prosecutors said in documents filed in Los Angeles federal court.