SIOUX CITY — A Lehigh man has been sentenced to federal prison for a second time, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office — Northern District of Iowa.

Thomas Hendrickson, 72, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced to seven years in federal prison on Dec. 4.

Hendrickson previously served more than 14 years for a federal firearm offense after being classified as an Armed Career Criminal.

For the distribution of meth conviction, evidence showed that from January 2019 through October 2019, Hendrickson was involved in a conspiracy that distributed over five pounds of meth.

On Oct. 10, 2019, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle Hendrickson was operating.

After a K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances, law enforcement searched the vehicle and located about one pound of meth in a plastic bag.

On the same date, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Hendrickson’s Lehigh residence where they seized about one ounce of meth, about one pound of marijuana and roughly $15,000 in U.S. currency.

Hendrickson was sentenced in Sioux City by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand.

He was sentenced to 84 months’ imprisonment.

He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.

There is no parole in the federal system. Hendrickson is being held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and investigated by Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Iowa State Patrol, Tri-County Drug Taskforce, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, North Central Iowa Drug Taskforce, Central Iowa Drug Taskforce, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.