MONROE - A former Monroe woman was sentenced to two years in prison Thursday for her role in her family's Cadiz methamphetamine lab in 2014.
Christina Lee Orellana, 42, Monfort, pleaded no contest to a Class D felony count of manufacturing methamphetamines and two Class I felony counts of purchasing more than 7.5 grams of pseudoephedrine, a common methamphetamine precursor, within a 30-day period.
Orellana was charged in January 2016, shortly after her husband and daughter were arrested in a December police investigation of a meth lab in the 2400 block of Ullom Road, Town of Cadiz.
Although a pre-sentencing investigation of Orellana recommended a sentence of four years in jail, both Green County District Attorney Craig Nolen and Orellana's attorney Philip Brehm believed that sentence was too high, as Orellana's husband, Jose Orellana, and co-conspirator Anthony Herrera each received sentences of only three years. Brehm and Nolen jointly recommended a six-year probation sentence with six months of conditional jail time.
Brehm pointed out that Christina Orellana was rarely even in Wisconsin while her family was producing meth, instead living primarily in Missouri. He added that, based on the family's testimonies, Herrera appeared to be the one responsible for introducing meth to the family.
Orellana said she would take responsibility for her actions but emphasized that she is "not a criminal" and has a clean record. She added that she had a prescription for pseudoephedrine, which she took for her allergies, and had exceeded that prescription with the sole intention of treating her allergies.
"I know there's a price to pay," Orellana said.
Green County Judge James Beer sentenced Orellana to a seven-year sentence, with two years to be served in prison and the remaining five to be served under extended supervision. After that supervision ends, Orellana will serve an additional three years of probation.
Christina Lee Orellana, 42, Monfort, pleaded no contest to a Class D felony count of manufacturing methamphetamines and two Class I felony counts of purchasing more than 7.5 grams of pseudoephedrine, a common methamphetamine precursor, within a 30-day period.
Orellana was charged in January 2016, shortly after her husband and daughter were arrested in a December police investigation of a meth lab in the 2400 block of Ullom Road, Town of Cadiz.
Although a pre-sentencing investigation of Orellana recommended a sentence of four years in jail, both Green County District Attorney Craig Nolen and Orellana's attorney Philip Brehm believed that sentence was too high, as Orellana's husband, Jose Orellana, and co-conspirator Anthony Herrera each received sentences of only three years. Brehm and Nolen jointly recommended a six-year probation sentence with six months of conditional jail time.
Brehm pointed out that Christina Orellana was rarely even in Wisconsin while her family was producing meth, instead living primarily in Missouri. He added that, based on the family's testimonies, Herrera appeared to be the one responsible for introducing meth to the family.
Orellana said she would take responsibility for her actions but emphasized that she is "not a criminal" and has a clean record. She added that she had a prescription for pseudoephedrine, which she took for her allergies, and had exceeded that prescription with the sole intention of treating her allergies.
"I know there's a price to pay," Orellana said.
Green County Judge James Beer sentenced Orellana to a seven-year sentence, with two years to be served in prison and the remaining five to be served under extended supervision. After that supervision ends, Orellana will serve an additional three years of probation.