‘Bright and articulate woman’ who worked as ‘enforcer’ for Mexican drug cartel in Spokane sentenced to 11 years in federal prison

A 36-year-old Spokane woman who liked to spend her free time teaching her daughter to ride a bike moonlighted as an “enforcer” for a Mexican drug organization, attorneys said Tuesday.

Over the course of early 2022, police would search area drug houses and arrest the people there, seizing drugs, money and guns.

Phone records showed Amy Riggs would text other people in the criminal organization, including its leader in Mexico, to theorize who might “roll” and give information to police.

She pushed to go collect drug debts and believed there was a “rat” in their circle, according to court documents.

In February 2022, Riggs climbed into her Range Rover and hunted down a thief who stole drugs from the organization; shots were fired from her vehicle, according to court documents.

The thief ran away, leaving behind kitty litter containers full of drugs, which police seized.

Investigators eventually caught up to Riggs, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl in December, according to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Spokane.

A federal judge sentenced her to 11 years in prison Tuesday.

Riggs, who had no prior criminal record, sold $100,000 to $125,000 worth of drugs per month, Caitlin Baunsguard, assistant United States attorney, told federal Judge Rosanna Malouf Peterson.

After a normal childhood, Riggs went off to college where she got into drugs, Baunsguard said.

Years later, in 2021, her father died. That was followed by a friend getting murdered, according to court documents.

The events sent Riggs back into the drug world, where she “jumped in with both feet (and then some),” Baunsguard wrote in a court filing urging a lengthy prison sentence.

Part of her job was collecting drug debts owed by people in Spokane.

After one of the houses where Riggs’ group stored and sold drugs was searched by police, Riggs returned to the property to determine what had been seized. She also checked the jail roster to see who was arrested and who might “rat,” Baunsguard said.

In one instance, Riggs went after a man who stole a large amount of drugs. Investigators said she was in the car when members of the group shot at the thief.

“She made the unfortunate choice to involve herself in the trafficking of an obscene, egregious amount of heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl into the community,” Baunsguard said.

Riggs told court officials that she was dating, and plans to continue dating, Jodie Wallette, a man recently sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for distributing large amounts of meth.

Wallette was at the center of a controversy with the Spokane Police Department’s Police Anti-Crime Team, in which Peterson, the judge, determined officers made false statements to help their investigation.

The PACT team was disbanded shortly after the ruling.

Both prosecutors and Peterson expressed concern at Riggs’ indication to investigators preparing a sentencing report that she planned to continue her relationship with Wallette.

“You will be in a position where you are judged by the company you keep,” Peterson told Riggs.

Riggs’ attorney, Matthew Duggan, said his client regrets the series of decisions that led to her conviction.

She took responsibility and is now focused on serving her time so that she can be reunited with her young daughter, Duggan said.

“Ms. Riggs is a bright and articulate woman,” he said. “She has discussed channeling these attributes into lawful activities and the undersigned counsel believes she can be extraordinarily successful.”

Duggan asked for the minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. Prosecutors argued that due to the severity of the crime, Riggs’ continued association with people involved in the drug operation and the multiple chances she had to get out, she should be sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Both recommendations were below the standard range of approximately 20 to 30 years.

Riggs declined to speak during the hearing, despite being pressed by Peterson.

Peterson ultimately sentenced Riggs to just over the minimum at 11 years. The increase from the minimum sentence was due, in part, to Riggs’ intention to continue associating with Wallette, Peterson said.

After Riggs finishes her 11-year sentence in federal prison, she will be on probation for five years.