ANDREA COX

IRON MOUNTAIN — An Iron Mountain woman convicted of selling drugs near a school in January will serve a minimum of two years in prison.

Andrea Cox, 31, was sentenced Monday in Dickinson County Circuit Court to as many as 60 years for the delivery or manufacture of heroin, a felony punishable by up to 20 years in prison; the delivery of a controlled substance on school or library property, a felony with a penalty of two to 60 years; and maintaining a drug house, a high court misdemeanor with a two-year penalty.

Defense attorney Dan Jaspen asked Cox not spend more than two years in prison and have access to substance abuse programs, noting she was “at death’s door” at the time of her arrest.

Cox had been selling heroin to support her own addiction, Jaspen said.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Alex Sieminski said Cox’s struggle with substance abuse did give context to her actions, but the recommendation in the pre-sentence investigation was appropriate.

Cox apologized to the court and community, saying she was thankful to have a chance to rehabilitate herself.

According to the criminal complaint, Cox sold three packets of heroin to a confidential informant Jan 28. The transaction took place at her home, 539 feet from Iron Mountain school property.

Cox was charged as a two-time habitual offender and could have served as many as 1 1/2 times the maximum sentence.

In exchange for her guilty plea Aug. 29, Dickinson County Prosecuting Attorney Lisa Richards agreed to dismiss a separate file with additional counts of the delivery or manufacture of heroin and delivery of a controlled substance on school or library property.

Additionally, Richards agreed not to increase the habitual offender notice to a third offense.

Brian Christensen can be reached at 906-774-2772, ext. 229, or bchristensen@ironmountaindailynews.com.