A judge sentenced a Wasilla woman to nine years in federal prison Monday for receiving and distributing drug shipments and stealing mail, according to a statement from U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler.
Brenda Sue Cox, a former U.S. Postal Service contract mail carrier, pled guilty in September to conspiring to distribute large amounts of methamphetamine and heroin. She also pled guilty to charges of removing mail from her postal route.
From August to October 2012, Cox received about a dozen packages at her Wasilla residence that were addressed to "Car Audio Plus" or "Car Plus A1," businesses that did not exist, according to the plea agreement.
Those packages contained illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and heroin, the document said. Cox coordinated the shipments with people in California and then distributed the drugs in Alaska.
In addition, Cox stored hundreds of pieces of undelivered mail and packages at her home and in a storage area, none of which was addressed to her, the plea deal said.
In handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Sharon Gleason said Cox's trafficking "appeared to be motivated by greed," according to Loeffler's statement.
Cox was also ordered to pay $1,949.92 in restitution to the people and businesses whose mail she possessed at the time of the arrest.
Reach Devin Kelly at dkelly@adn.com or 257-4314.
By DEVIN KELLY