A hearing was recently held in Washington County for possible probation revocation in the case of a Cedar Rapids woman. Thirty-three year-old Sarah Shaw was initially given a 10-year suspended sentence for a May 2018 conviction of Delivery of Methamphetamine, a Class C Felony. In May of 2019, she was deemed to have violated her probation, in a report submitted by her probation officer, by continuing to use methamphetamine and having unpaid court costs, at which point Shaw was placed in a residential correctional facility and remained on probation. She has completed three rounds of inpatient drug treatment and treatment at the ANCHOR Center in Cedar Rapids. 

The Iowa Department of Corrections recommended continued probation for Shaw and more treatment at the ANCHOR Center. Washington County Attorney John Gish argued that “Addiction is powerful but at some point individuals should be held accountable for their actions.” The Court, noting that Shaw was likely to be immediately released from prison if she were given the initial 10-year sentence to serve, agreed with the Department of Corrections, allowing her to continue with probation and further treatment.