A Mason City woman has pleaded guilty to a federal methamphetamine conspiracy charge.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa, 36-year-old Cori Benson pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Sioux City to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine
Prosecutors say Benson admitted she conspired with others to distribute at least 150 grams of methamphetamine between August and October 2024. Court records show law enforcement stopped a vehicle Benson was driving in October 2024 and found more than a half-pound of methamphetamine in her purse, along with two firearms inside the vehicle.
Authorities say Benson also admitted she helped transport about one kilogram of methamphetamine from Des Moines to Pierre, South Dakota, for distribution.
Sentencing before U.S. District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be scheduled after a presentence investigation report is completed. Benson remains in custody pending sentencing and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, with a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
A full press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office is below;
