ARIZONAN SENTENCED FOR LEADING DRUG CARTEL

An Arizona woman will spend two years in jail for managing a drug
cartel in Utah.

Third District Judge Robert Hilder ordered Sylvia Simpson, 54, to two
years in jail and a $5,000 fine during her sentencing hearing last
week. She will also spend 72 months on probation.

In May, Simpson pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful possession of
a controlled substance with intent to distribute, a second-degree
felony, and entered into a diversionary agreement for 10 additional
first- and second-degree drug-related felonies, which will be dropped
at the successful completion of her probation.

Simpson was the first person charged under Utah's "drug kingpin" law
that became effective in April 1997 and targets organizers,
supervisors and managers of drug enterprises. She was charged in
February, at the end of a two-year investigation that revealed Simpson
had personally brought between $2 million and $3 million worth of
drugs into Utah.

Simpson admitted to police that between February 1997 and February
1998, she brought more than 600 pounds of marijuana from Agua Prieta,
Mexico, through Douglas, Ariz., and to Salt Lake County, according to
the charging documents. On each occasion she rented a motel room, made
contact with her associates and delivered the marijuana to 4874 S. Box
Elder St.

She received $8,000 for each trip.

Checked-by: "Rich O'Grady"