A Des Moines woman has been sentenced to 192 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in a death. The sentencing took place on August 28, 2025.
Court records show that the case began when the Des Moines Police Department responded to an overdose death on January 6, 2024. Investigators identified Ashley Lynn Andrews, 38, as the dealer who supplied the fentanyl involved in the fatality. Authorities then conducted several controlled purchases of fentanyl from Andrews. On April 12, 2024, police found Andrews slumped over her car’s steering wheel at a gas station and discovered she was in possession of 36 grams of fentanyl.
Following her prison term, Andrews will serve four years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $20,150 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system.
Two co-defendants were also sentenced earlier this year. Earl Sandeleo Galtney, 44, from Cedar Rapids received a sentence of 142 months in federal prison, while Shannon D. Robertson, 44, from Chicago was sentenced to 125 months.
United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal for the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentences. The investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Central Iowa Gang Task Force.
Fentanyl is now recognized as the leading cause of drug overdose deaths nationwide. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl often look like prescription medications but can contain deadly amounts of the substance. In recent years, accidental overdoses have become a major concern; in 2023 it was reported as the top cause of death for residents under age 40 in thirty-seven states (https://stateline.org/2023/09/05/death-rates-for-people-under-40-have-skyrocketed-blame-fentanyl/). Iowa experienced record opioid-related fatalities with 258 deaths recorded in 2021—a figure representing a significant increase compared to previous years—before seeing an eight percent decline in such deaths during 2022 (https://hhs.iowa.gov/media/11935/download).
“United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement.”
“This case was investigated by the Des Moines Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Central Iowa Gang Task Force.”
