A Minot woman has been sentenced after entering change of pleas to guilty to multiple felony counts after drugs were found in her possession as she was being processed at the Ward County Jail on two separate occasions in 2023.

Annie Lenease Russell, 65, Minot, entered her change of pleas on April 8 in North Central District Court, pleading guilty to two counts of possession of controlled substance by an inmate, a Class B felony, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class C felony, possession of cocaine, and tampering with physical evidence, both Class A misdemeanors.

The first guilty plea was to two felony counts stemming from a late night traffic stop on May 4, 2023. According to court documents, during a search of the vehicle 19.69 grams of methamphetamine, a scale and a variety of paraphernalia were discovered. Russell was then arrested and a search of her person resulted in the discovery of an additional .16 grams of methamphetamine.

Russell was charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, possession of a controlled substance by an inmate, both Class B felonies, and unlawful possession of paraphernalia-second offense, a Class C felony.

The second set of pleas were entered in a case from Sept. 10, 2023, after Russell was arrested at Burdick Expressway convenience store on three active warrants. Russell was searched and found to have concealed a blue pill in her mouth. Russell was transported to Trinity Hospital for treatment due to the unknown amount of suspected fentanyl she had ingested.

District Court Judge Gary Lee sentenced Russell to serve a concurrent sentence of five years with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, to first serve 120 days with credit for 40 days served. Russell is required to serve three years of supervised probation and was ordered to complete a chemical dependency evaluation. Russell was assessed $775 in court fines and fees for the Class B felonies.