Hairstylist sold pounds of meth in the Ozarks. A judge gave her 'one heck of a break.'

Giacomo Bologna | Springfield News-Leader

An Ozarks woman walked into federal court Thursday to be sentenced for selling pounds of meth.

About two hours later, she walked back out.

Tiffany Calton, 29, was part of one of the biggest meth distribution rings to ever plague southwest Missouri.

The Drug Enforcement Administration believes the ring was responsible for bringing hundreds of pounds of meth into the Springfield area for distribution.

Calton was described in court as a salesperson in the organization: She got her re-ups by the quarter pound, and feds intercepted 75 communications she had with the ringleader.

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Calton was also described as the least culpable person in the organization, who was in the throes of addiction.

The Laclede County woman was one of 29 people indicted.

Calton is probably the only one who won't go to prison.

Her crime — conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance — comes with a mandatory punishment of at least 10 years in prison and up to life.

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However, Calton qualified for a "safety valve" provision, which allows lower sentences when people have little criminal history and are cooperative.

A prosecutor had asked for 18 months in prison.

Judge Doug Harpool sentenced Calton to five years of probation, with the condition that the first 18 months be spent in home confinement, and 500 hours of community service.

"You got about every break a person can get in this situation," Harpool told Calton.

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It's important to deter meth dealers, Harpool said, but the woman standing before him had turned her life around.

About 80 people, family and friends of Calton, packed into the courtroom. The room was so crowded that Harpool let people sit in the jury box.

The prosecutor, Randy Eggert, said he was impressed with the turnout of support.

Eggert said it's easy to argue for harsh sentences against "really bad people," but Calton did not fall into that category.

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"She clearly has a future and life," he said.

Calton apparently was a hairstylist before taking part in the meth conspiracy. She interacted with one of the ring's leaders — Kenna Harmon — at the hair salon where she worked.

Calton's attorney, Megan McCullough, said her client fell into addiction, but turned her life around after getting arrested in 2014.

Calton, then 25, spent a week in jail, her attorney said.

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Since then, Calton has been completely sober, McCullough said.

"She has done everything asked of her," McCullough said, "plus more."

McCullough said Calton runs her own hair styling business, recently remodeled a home with her new husband, and regularly speaks to religious groups about her meth addiction.

"She's genuinely in an amazing place in her life," McCullough said.

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Harpool, the judge, pushed back. He noted that many people facing prison time decide to get married, find religion and start businesses — and then want probation.

However, Harpool agreed that Calton's actions appeared sincere.

When it was Calton's turn to speak, several people in the audience began crying.

Calton apologized to family and friends. She thanked her parents for never giving up on her and promised to never again go down that "path of destruction."

When she began to address her husband, Calton choked up and paused.

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Calton also apologized for putting people's lives in danger, saying she was "trapped in a lifestyle."

Harpool spoke for several minutes before handing down a sentence. He said criminal sentencing hearings have always been the most difficult part of the job.

At times he appeared to lean toward prison, and at other times he appeared to favor probation.

"You're an addict, and 50 years from now you'll still be an addict," Harpool told Calton. "Every day will be a challenge."

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Harpool said that if he ever sees her in court again, the outcome will be different — she'll be someone with a criminal record "who got one heck of a break."

Of Calton's 28 co-defendants, only four are left to be sentenced, including one of the ringleaders, Kenneth Friend. All of Calton's co-defendants have been sentenced to prison so far.

The DEA, with the assistance of numerous agencies, began investigating the meth ring about five years ago.

Indictments, plus a superseding indictment and second superseding indictments, were handed down in 2014 and 2015.

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