A Jackson County woman recently received a 16-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to a Level 2 felony charge of dealing in methamphetamine in Jackson Circuit Court.

Melissa C. Collins, 47, of Crothersville received that sentence from Jackson Circuit Judge Richard W. Poynter, who also suspended two years.

Poynter told Collins if she serves the first 10 years of the sentence with the Indiana Department of Correction without any rules violations, loss of good time and on good behavior, she would be eligible to spend the remaining four years on home detention.

The plea agreement stems in part from Collins’ admission she had been dealing in methamphetamine at the rate of 2 ounces per day or greater for at least six months prior to her arrest in February 2015, police report. That admission was recorded on tape during an interview with New Albany Officer Brian Reardon, who also is a member of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.

According to the probable cause affidavit, signed by Detective Barry Brown with the Indiana State Police, Collins was arrested on the afternoon of Feb. 11, 2015, after she returned to her home in the 5600 block of East County Road 400S, Crothersville, from a trip to Indianapolis.

At the time of Collins’ arrest, Brown said police found 2.8 ounces of crystal methamphetamine, $4,216 in cash, a loaded Phoenix Arms .22-caliber pistol, digital scales, a glass smoking pipe and assorted small plastic bags in her 2006 Dodge Charger.

As part of the plea agreement, Collins must serve four years of a sentence from a previous dealing in methamphetamine conviction in Scott County.

That sentence will be served consecutively to the sentence she received from Poynter. Collins was serving probation on the Scott County conviction at the time of her arrest on the charges in Jackson County.

Collins also will be ordered to submit to an alcohol and drug abuse program for treatment and pay court costs, a $500 public defender fee, probation fees, alcohol and drug program fees and a $200 drug interdiction fee.

Poynter granted the state’s request to dismiss three additional charges against Collins, including possession of methamphetamine more than 28 grams, a Level 3 felony, and maintaining a common nuisance, a Level 6 felony. She also received 40 days of credit and 13 days of good time credit for time served.