Suspects sentenced after meth seizure

A California woman and a Rock Springs couple were recently sentenced after sheriff's deputies, detectives and a K9 interdiction unit seized over 18 pounds of methamphetamine and a stolen firearm during three separate law enforcement operations that ultimately tied all three individuals together to the same local drug trafficking scheme.

On Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021, sheriff's detectives were contacted by the United States Probation Office for the District of Wyoming, the United States Marshal's Service (USMS), and the Wyoming Department of Corrections for assistance in locating and searching the residences of three different parolees and in apprehending one of the federal parolees on a USMS bench warrant.

Amy Nicole Timmons, 32, of San Diego, California, a federal parolee, came to Rock Springs to meet with Malodee Jo Barnson, 42, of Rock Springs, also on parole, who Timmons met while serving time together in a federal prison in Victorville, California.

Through the course of investigation, authorities learned that Timmins may have traveled to Rock Springs with as much as 20 pounds of methamphetamine, and that she was believed to be distributing the drugs locally through Barnson and her husband, Jay Earl Barnson, 50, a state parolee, also of Rock Springs.

On the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2021, a small team of federal and local law enforcement officers converged on Timmins' hotel room while other teams of law enforcement officers located Malodee at her residence and Jay while traveling in his vehicle.

During searches of the hotel room, residence and vehicle, authorities discovered a total of just under 20 pounds of meth, a stolen Charter Arms .38 Special revolver, a large sum of U.S. currency, multiple cell phones, and related drug paraphernalia consistent with that used to use and distribute illegal drugs.

During a later interview with her, Timmins revealed to authorities that she came to Wyoming because she knew that she could make a larger profit from the meth selling it in Wyoming as opposed to selling it in California. In three weeks' time, investigators learned that the three had already sold and distributed over 500 grams, or just over one pound, of meth.

Malodee Barnson was charged locally, and was sentenced in Feb. to eight to 10 years in state prison.

Jay Barnson was indicted federally, and was sentenced earlier this year to 60 months (5 years) in federal prison.

Timmins was also indicted federally, and was recently sentenced to 180 months (15 years) in federal prison.

The dedicated men and women of Sweetwater County Sheriff's Office credit a cooperative effort among all those involved in seeing this investigation through to a positive conclusion, and remind everyone that all are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in accordance with law.