Olson sentenced on peddling heroin
Katherine Olson, charged on 11 criminal counts stemming from sales and possession of heroin, has received sentence in Second District Superior Court.
In a plea deal, Olson, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of heroin, reduced from a Class B Felony to a Class C Felony. The prosecutor dismissed the other 10 charges comprising five Class C felonies on heroin sales and five Class A Misdemeanors on possessing heroin.
On Jan. 22, Judge Romano diBenedetto handed down a “shock” sentence of five months time served and a three-year suspended imposition of sentence. Should Olson successfully perform to probation conditions for the three years, the felony will be removed from her record.
A “shock” sentence or “shock” probation is a legal policy whereby a judge orders a convicted offender to prison for a short time then suspends the remainder of the sentence in favor of probation. The hope is that the initial experience of prison will provide an effective deterrence from recidivism, or repeat offense.
In this case, Olson had already had a taste of prison for about 150 days during process of her case.
Alaska State Trooper Garrett Frost, investigator, conducted five controlled purchases of heroin from Olson in March, May and June last year, using marked money and confidential informants.