The federal government has requested permission to enhance any sentence handed down to a Mountain Home woman charged with distributing drugs.
The request is based on a prior drug case against 62-year-old Kathleen Novy that was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.
According to electronic court records dealing with the Missouri case, Novy was convicted on charges of involvement in the possession and distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on July 9, 2009.
If the court approves the enhancement request in her current Arkansas case, Novy could receive more prison time,larger fines and a longer period of supervised release after leaving prison.
ARRESTED IN SEPTEMBER
Novy was among a group of people arrested September 4 during an operation conducted by a number of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.
Those arrested were charged with selling methamphetamine and cocaine.
Some of those arrested face state charges, six others, including Novy, are in federal court.
One of those charged in federal court, David Rains, has already entered a guilty plea to his charges. A pre-sentencing report has been ordered and Rains will be sentenced after that report is completed and furnished to the court.
The current schedule shows Novy set for a pre-trial conference on January 8, 2026, and a jury trial four days later.
CONDITIONS OF RELEASE MODIFIED
The conditions of release in Novy’s federal case were recently modified to allow her to live with a relative in Mountain Home in order to “get her affairs in order, including selling what personal property she can” and to arrange several medical appointments.
According to court records, she has completed a six-month in-patient drug treatment program at Harbor House in Fort Smith and is being required to continue out-patient treatment via Telehealth from her residence in Mountain Home.
Her bond was set at $10,000 according to federal court records.
PRIOR STATE AND FEDERAL DRUG CHARGES
Novy has a history of drug charges in both state and federal courts. She has spent time in prison and had property seized through the years, including $200,000 seized from her residence and vehicle and a 14-acre property that was alleged to have been “purchased with the proceeds of illegal drug trafficking.”
FILED SUIT TO GET CAR BACK
Novy, acting as her own attorney, has sued Prosecutor David Ethredge in the Civil Division of Baxter County Circuit Court seeking the return of her 2021 Infinity automobile seized during her most recent arrest.
Her suit was filed December 1.
According to people familiar with the case, the automobile was seized at the request of federal law enforcement and that Novy should be making her request for its return from them.
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