Sanilac County Drug Task Force Director James Johnson announced that, at the end of a summer long investigation into in-county narcotic sales, a 32-year-old Marlette Township woman was sentenced to eight to 30 years in prison.
The woman, Karista Riopelle, originally faced seven charges, with three possession charges being dismissed after she pleaded guilty to maintaining a drug house, felony possession of ammunition, and two counts of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver or manufacture. She was sentenced last Wednesday, September 6, with Circuit Court Judge Timothy Wrathell also ordering Riopelle to pay $2,287.60 in court and state costs.
Sanilac County Drug Task Force members had conducted surveillance and an investigation into illegal use and drug sales by the suspect. A traffic stop was conducted on S. Van Dyke Road (M-53) in Marlette Township in June.
That traffic stop, investigation findings, and arrest provided a subsequent search warrant on the woman’s residence on S. Van Dyke Rd. in Marlette Twp. Both the traffic stop, and the additional search warrant of the suspects home resulted in the seizure of methamphetamine, ecstasy, and heroin/fentanyl.
