Pubdate: Fri, 09 Jun 2006 Source: Billings Gazette, The (MT) Copyright: 2006 The Billings Gazette Contact: http://www.billingsgazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/515 Author: Associated Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) FORMER WIND RIVER TRIBAL JUDGE GETS PRISON IN DRUG CASE CASPER -- A former tribal court judge has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for her involvement in a drug ring on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Lynda Noah, formerly known as Lynda Munnell, pleaded guilty in March to threatening a federal agent and to being part of a conspiracy to distribute prescription drugs and methamphetamine on the reservation. U.S. District Judge William Downes sentenced her Wednesday to 63 months in a federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He also recommended that she participate in a drug treatment program while in prison, according to court documents. Noah was one of more than 20 people charged with participating in a drug ring that distributed methamphetamine and other drugs from Mexico to the Wind River and other Indian reservations in South Dakota and Nebraska. Police made their first arrests in the case on May 27, 2005. Noah was a sitting judge at the time of her arrest. A sister and brother-in-law of Noah's were also arrested. Most of those arrested in case have accepted plea agreements. Investigators announced another drug bust with ties to the Wind River reservation in late May of this year. In that case, federal agents and local law enforcement officers arrested 43 people and seized more than 20 pounds of meth, more than $100,000 in cash and about 20 guns. Wind River, in central Wyoming, is shared by the Northern Arapaho and the Eastern Shoshone tribes. Noah is an Arapaho tribal member and was nominated to the court by her tribe. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman