Jennifer Elayne Sanderson, 29, Norwich, who had originally been charged with Class B felony intent to deliver alprazolam while in possession of a firearm, two counts of Class C felony felon in possession of a firearm, Class C felony possession of methamphetamine, and Class C felony possession of drug paraphernalia in December 2020, pleaded guilty last week in district court in Minot to one count of possession of felon in possession of a firearm and Class A misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. The remaining charges against her were dismissed.

Sanderson was sentenced to 360 days in jail, all suspended but the 73 days she has already served, and 18 months of supervised probation. She was also ordered to forfeit the weapon to law enforcement, to obtain a chemical dependency evaluation, and to pay $1,100 in court costs.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed with the court, Levi Heil and Sanderson were charged following a traffic stop in December. The North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation had the vehicle under surveillance as part of another criminal investigation. Heil was reportedly driving over the center line on the road and fog lines while the officer was following him and he also had a suspended driver’s license and an active warrant. Heil was already on supervised probation for another offense and his passenger, Sanderson, was also already on probation. The officer got permission from the probation office to search their vehicle and found 55 Alprazolam tablets inside a battery compartment, two firearms and ammunition, a foil bindle with methamphetamine, marijuana, and a pipe with suspected drug residue.

Heil was sentenced in July to three years in prison for intent to deliver Alprazolam, with a requirement that he serve 18 months, followed by 18 months of probation. He was given credit for 211 days already served. He was also ordered to pay $1,100 in court costs. He was given a concurrent sentence for felon in possession of a firearm.