Grand Island woman gets more than 4 years in prison for meth charges

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. -- A woman from Grand Island was sentenced to more than four years in prison for meth-related charges.

U.S Attorney Steven Russell said 37-year-old Kendra R. Baker, of Grand Island, was sentenced in federal court in Lincoln on Friday. Baker was charged for for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine mixture and five grams or more of methamphetamine actual. Baker will serve 54 months in prison along with a three-year term of supervised release after. There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, drug investigators used a confidential informant to set up the controlled purchase of meth from Baker in March and April of 2021. Four meth purchases were made during that time period at several locations in Grand Island and Hastings.

Officials said the amount bought during those buys ranged from a half ounce to two ounces of meth. Baker sold in total over 125 grams of lab-confirmed meth. Some of that meth was tested for purity and determined to have at least 74 grams of actual meth.

This case was investigated by the Tri-City Drug Enforcement Team (TRIDENT). TRIDENT is a task force with law enforcement personnel from the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Grand Island Police Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hastings Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Kearney Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol.