Long Sentence For Woman Who Dealt Meth While Out Of Jail On Bond

A Sunman woman has been sentenced to 11 years in an Indiana prison.

(Ripley County, Ind.) - A 14-year sentence is ordered for a Sunman woman who sold methamphetamine to an informant, then did it again while she was on probation.

Anita Dustrude, 46, was sentenced Thursday, October 4 in Ripley County Court to 11 years in prison and three years on probation. She faced up to 18 years after pleading guilty to Dealing Methamphetamine (level 4 felony), Dealing Methamphetamine (level 5 felony), Maintaining a Common Nuisance (level 6 felony), and Unlawful Possession of a Syringe (level 6 felony).

Ripley County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Shane Tucker lobbied the judge for harsher sentence for Dustrude’s continual distribution of methamphetamine and a lack of remorse.    

Dustrude’s convictions stem from two different cases.

She was arrested in October of 2017 for dealing to a confidential informant working for Indiana State Police. In a search of her home, investigators found methamphetamine, hypodermic syringes, a smoking pipe, and digital scales used to weigh the methamphetamine.   

While she was out of jail on bond this past July, ISP investigators learned that Dustrude was selling once again. They again obtained a search warrant end entered Dustrude’s residence. They found methamphetamine, smoking pipes, and scales.

According to Ripley County Prosecutor Ric Hertel, Dustrude admitted that she would obtain methamphetamine in the Cincinnati area and then bring it back to Sunman to sell to methamphetamine users in the Sunman area.          

“The successful prosecution of this case is the result of a concerted effort and a strong collaboration between the Indiana State Police and the Ripley County Prosecutor’s Office,” said Hertel, complimenting state police for their dedicated effort investigating drug crimes.