Jackson woman sentenced for meth

A Jackson woman has been sentenced to 25 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to the sale of methamphetamine.

The woman, Samantha Lombardi, 45, pleaded guilty last week to possession with the intent to sell more than 10 but less than 30 grams of methamphetamine,  according to Madison County District Attorney John K. “Bubba” Bramlett, Jr. 

Circuit Court Judge Dewey Arthur sentenced her to serve 25 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC).

In February, Ridgeland Police began an undercover investigation into prostitution and drug sales at area hotels, Bramlett said. 

“We commend the hard work of the Ridgeland Police Department in their work to identify criminal activity and apprehend those responsible,” Bramlett said.

The undercover officer and Lombardi agreed to meet at the Staybridge Suites, where Lombardi believed she would be engaging in prostitution and selling the individual methamphetamine, Bramlett said. 

When she arrived, she was taken into custody and found to be in possession of various drugs, including methamphetamine, PCP, liquid codeine, ecstasy pills, and marijuana, Bramlett said.

“Ms. Lombardi believed she was going to sell drugs and sexual services at a Madison County hotel. Instead, she encountered the Street Crimes Unit of the Ridgeland Police Department,’ Bramlett said. “This Unit is dedicated to investigating the drug dealers, drug users, prostitutes, and other criminals seeking to conduct their illegal business in Ridgeland.”

According to Bramlett, in lieu of waiting on the crime lab to test all the suspected controlled substances, Lombardi elected to waive grand jury presentment and plead guilty to possession of methamphetamine with the intent to sell. 

At the time of her arrest, Lombardi was on three years of non-adjudicated probation for a robbery charge out of Hinds County, Bramlett said.