OKLAHOMA CITY — A pair of Stephens County women have pleaded guilty to being part of a drug conspiracy in Indian Country that led to a fentanyl death.
Joanie Ann Wilson, 38, and Reecy Ann Bench, 21, recently entered their pleas. Wilson pleaded guilty Tuesday in the U.S. Western District Court, and admitted to conspiring to distribute fentanyl and Bench pleaded guilty to her role in the drug conspiracy on May 22, according to U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
At sentencing, Wilson and Bench face up to 20 years in federal prison and fines of up to $1 million each.
The women were charged this month for their roles in the drug conspiracy. The investigation followed the Aug. 23, 2023, death of an unidentified Stephens County person from a fentanyl overdose, Troester said.
According to the charging information, in August 2023, Bench and Wilson conspired to purchase and distribute fentanyl, the use of which resulted in the death of the Stephens County resident.
This case is in federal court because Bench is a member of the Choctaw Nation and the crimes occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation, according to Troester.
“This case is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lawton Police Department, and demonstrates the importance of the DEA’s ‘One Pill Can Kill’ campaign,” he stated.
More information about “One Pill Can Kill” can be found at https://www.dea.gov/onepill.
More information about the danger associated with fentanyl distribution and use can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16O7TkhFH9k.
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