Dubuque woman pleads not guilty to drug charges, eluding law enforcement; trial set

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

A Dubuque woman who is facing several charges in Floyd County after allegedly leading law enforcement on a chase topping 100 mph and allegedly being found in possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver, has pleaded not guilty and a trial has been set for March 2.

Amber Marie Sheppard, age 36, was arrested Dec. 31, 2020, and charged with intent to deliver methamphetamine, a class B felony; eluding law enforcement while involved in a felony or controlled substance violation, second offense, a Class C felony; and several misdemeanor traffic and other charges.

According to a documents filed in Floyd County District Court, a Floyd County deputy attempted to stop Sheppard while she was driving a 2004 Chevrolet Malibu without a license plate on the Avenue of the Saints near mile marker 224.

The report said Sheppard did not stop for the deputy’s marked patrol car with lights and siren on, and speeds reached more than 100 mph while northbound on Highway 27 and south on Shadow Avenue.

After she was stopped, “the driver admitted to possessing methamphetamine and needles used to inject methamphetamine,” the criminal complaint says. “Deputies located approximately 7.5 grams of methamphetamine that was field tested and tested positive for methamphetamine and 5 needles inside the defendant’s car.”

The report said Sheppard’s driver’s license had been suspended multiple times and was revoked through July 3, 2026, and she was barred from driving through Oct. 1, 2023.

She was charged with driving while barred as a habitual offender, an aggravated misdemeanor; driving while her license was revoked, a serious misdemeanor; along with several other simple misdemeanor charges.

She was ordered held on $10,000 cash-only bond on the controlled substance charge and $5,000 on the eluding charge.

Sheppard’s attorney filed a motion for her bond to be reviewed and reduced, which the Floyd County Attorney’s Office resisted. After a bond hearing, Judge DeDra Schroeder released Sheppard under the supervision of the Iowa Department of Corrections.

Last week the Department of Corrections asked the judge to relieve the department of responsibility to supervise Sheppard because she had been taken into custody on an unrelated matter.