WILLMAR -- Angela Lillian Norton, 46, of Murdock, was sentenced to 93 months in prison and $3,000 in fines on two second-degree controlled substance charges for possession and sale of methamphetamine.
She was also sentenced to 90 days in jail for a misdemeanor charge of obstruction of the legal process, for resisting arrest, and was given credit for 90 days already served. Her sentence was handed down Thursday in Kandiyohi County District Court by Judge Michael J. Thompson.
"This is your opportunity, the last opportunity," Thompson told Norton after the sentence was pronounced. The judge urged the woman, dressed in jail garb, to figure out how to stay clean and away from drug use, both in prison and after she is released. If she continues to use drugs, the judge said: "You will die an early death. The chemicals you are using are killing you."
Norton told the judge she wants to take classes while she's in the Minnesota Correctional Facility for women in Shakopee. She said she wants to take college courses to become a chemical dependency counselor.
The prosecutor in the case, First Assistant County Attorney Connie Crowell, said after the sentencing that she was very pleased that Norton was off to prison. Norton presented a public safety hazard, Crowell said. The woman had a "sale amount" of methamphetamine and a large amount of cash on her person when she was apprehended in downtown Willmar.
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"We hope -- sincerely hope -- that she takes advantage of the programs in prison and gets help," Crowell said, noting that Norton has a long criminal history, with drug convictions and convictions for other crimes, in both Minnesota and New MexicoAs part of a plea agreement, one of the drug charges was reduced from a first-degree charge, the misdemeanor was reduced from a gross misdemeanor and another misdemeanor for giving a peace officer a false name was dismissed.
Several charges were filed against Norton after her arrest March 5 when an off-duty Willmar police officer recognized her at a downtown Willmar barber shop. Another of the drug charges stemmed from the purchase of 8 grams of meth by a CEE-VI Drug Task Force informant in September.
According to that complaint, CEE-VI agents and the informant arranged the purchase of a half-ounce of meth from Norton on Sept. 27, 2007. The informant met Norton at a First Street business and they drove a short distance away. After the deal was complete, the informant turned over 8.7 grams of meth purchased for $800.
A Willmar police officer was off duty on the morning of March 5 and observed a person standing outside of Pep's Sports Barber Shop, and he knew from prior contacts that it was Norton.
The responding officer confirmed Norton had five warrants for her arrest -- four in Kandiyohi County for driving after suspension and one in Swift County for narcotics sale.
The officer entered the shop, found a person obscuring her face with a hooded sweatshirt and approached the person, who started to walk out the door. Norton gave the officer a false name, said she was from Iowa, said she had to go to the restroom and then attempted to escape out the door.
The officer grabbed her coat and a scuffle ensued. The scuffle continued until a Willmar Ambulance Service member and a county sheriff's deputy responded to assist the officer.
Officers found a package containing 29.3 grams of a white substance, which tested positive for meth, sticking out of her coat pocket.
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There were also three plastic bags of marijuana and another plastic bag containing 9.8 grams of meth in the pocket.
Also recovered during a search were drug paraphernalia, a prepaid credit card in the amount of $300 and two knives. A search of her vehicle revealed a large ball of green leafy substance that appeared to be marijuana.
