A Manson woman has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for her role in a methamphetamine conspiracy centered in Fort Dodge.
Forty‑three‑year‑old Starr Ledford, who also has ties to Atlantic, received the sentence Jan. 21 in Sioux City. She pleaded guilty last summer to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Court records show that between January and May of 2024, Ledford and others distributed at least three pounds of pure meth in the Fort Dodge area. On two occasions in April, she sold more than 300 grams to a cooperating individual. In May, investigators tracked her to Omaha, Neb., where she obtained about a half‑pound of meth from her supplier. Evidence showed she made multiple trips to Omaha to bring drugs back for redistribution in Fort Dodge.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand handed down the sentence. Ledford will also serve a three‑year term of supervised release once her prison term is complete. She remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal until transfer to a federal facility.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Wehde and investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Fort Dodge Police, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Iowa State Patrol, Council Bluffs Police, and the Iowa DCI Laboratory.
