Sheridan Woman Sentenced for Felony Drug Possession

A sentencing hearing for 26-year-old Savannah Schaffer of Sheridan was held Thursday in Fourth Judicial District Court. Schaffer, on November 18, 2020, was arrested and charged with Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance- Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance- Marijuana, and Driving Under Suspension after she arrived late to the Sheridan Police Department for her scheduled breath test as part of the 24/7 Sobriety Program. According to the affidavit of probable cause, Schaffer had left her vehicle running in the parking lot of the Police Department when she went inside for the scheduled breath test, and when an officer with the PD entered the vehicle to retrieve the keys after Schaffer had been arrested for showing up late for the test, the officer noticed a strong smell of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded methamphetamine, marijuana and various drug paraphernalia.

At a change of plea hearing June 24, Schaffer pleaded “guilty” to the possession of marijuana charge and “no contest” to the possession of methamphetamine charge. The drug possession charges were prosecuted as felonies because Schaffer has three previous drug possession convictions. At sentencing Thursday, District Court Judge John Fenn accepted the terms of the plea agreement that was reached with the State and sentenced Schaffer to 2 to 4 years in prison for each charge, concurrent to one another and suspended in lieu of three years of supervised probation. Schaffer was also ordered to pay $575 in various court costs and $500 in attorney fees.