Two Iowa men have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy. Shannon D. Robertson, 44, from Chicago and Des Moines, along with Earl Sandeleo Galtney, 44, from Cedar Rapids, were implicated in distributing fentanyl across the Des Moines metro area during 2023 and 2024. The fentanyl was sourced from Chicago.
Court documents reveal that more than 75 grams of fentanyl were found at Robertson's residence in May 2024. Both Robertson and Galtney were held accountable for distributing over 750 grams of the substance.
On February 20, 2025, Robertson received a sentence of 142 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release. Galtney was sentenced on March 20, 2025, to 125 months in federal prison with an identical term of supervised release. It is noted that there is no parole available within the federal system.
A co-defendant in this case, Ashley Lynn Andrews, aged 37 from Des Moines, is scheduled for sentencing on July 1, 2025.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa. The investigation was conducted by the Des Moines Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations' Central Iowa Gang Task Force.
Fentanyl has emerged as a leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the United States. Counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl often mimic pharmaceutical medications but can contain fatal doses. In 2023, accidental overdoses became the primary cause of death for individuals under 40 years old in 37 states. In Iowa specifically, opioid-related deaths peaked at a record high of 258 in 2021 before decreasing by eight percent in 2022.