Spencer, Iowa — A Spencer man will be spending 15-years in a federal prison following his guilty plea on a federal narcotics trafficking charge.
According to information from the United States Attorney’s Office in Sioux City, 44-year-old Christopher Frerichs pled guilty and was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City to charges of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possessing a Firearm During a Drug Trafficking Crime.
According to authorities, evidence at Frerichs’ hearing showed that between March and August of 2019, Frerichs and others conspired to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in the Iowa Great Lakes area. On August 1st last year, in Buena Vista County, during a controlled drug buy operation, law enforcement reportedly seized approximately 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine and a loaded .45 caliber handgun from Frerichs. Later on the same date, law enforcement seized another 1.5 pounds of methamphetamine from Frerichs’ residence.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says evidence further showed that Frerichs obtained and distributed over 15 pounds of methamphetamine from the end of 2018 through 2019. During that time, he made at least three trips to his primary source of supply in Colorado, and one trip to another source of supply in Arizona.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Frerichs to 15-years in federal prison, with a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. Frerichs is currently being held in the custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison facility.
There is no parole in the federal system.