Amber Snow has just been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to a plot involving a drug-laced meal. The Decorah, Iowa resident received her sentence on Tuesday, May 26, following a case that centered on a disturbing attempt to terminate a pregnancy without consent.
PEOPLE took a look at the court documents and reported that Snow pleaded guilty to four counts, which included conspiracy to commit non-forcible felony, attempted nonconsensual termination of pregnancy, child endangerment, and a controlled substance violation. Judge Richard D. Stochl handed down the decade-long sentence, concluding a legal process that began earlier this year.
Her case began with a crime on December 28, 2025, when Snow delivered a family-sized pan of lasagna to a pregnant woman. While the delivery might have seemed like a kind gesture on the surface, authorities later discovered it was a calculated attempt to cause a miscarriage. The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office stated that she “intended to cause a miscarriage to a pregnancy of a woman in the family that received the lasagna.”
Amber Snow allegedly did not do this on her own
Woman gave 'family-size pan' of oxycodone-laced lasagna to pregnant woman 'to cause a miscarriage' https://t.co/TvU85VCYc4
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) May 28, 2026
According to The Guardian, 36-year-old Amber Dena Snow’s alleged accomplice was her husband, 35-year-old Matthew Uthoff. The investigation into this scheme gained momentum in January when someone alerted local authorities to the suspicious food item. The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office and the Winneshiek County Attorney’s Office launched an inquiry into the matter
They took a sample of the pasta dish, which was then tested by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation’s criminalistics laboratory. The lasagna provided to the victim was found to contain oxycodone, a powerful opioid.
Further investigation eventually led to the arrests of both individuals. Snow was taken into custody on March 10, while Uthoff was arrested later on March 26. Law enforcement officials noted that electronic communication between the two played a significant role in their arrests.
Snow shared custody of her own child with the victim’s relatives. During the delivery of the lasagna to the unknowing victim, Snow’s child was reportedly present and even objected to the plan. The victim, who was the intended target of the drug-laced dish, did not know about the attempt to terminate her pregnancy.
Oxycodone was found in the lasagna during testing. https://t.co/nlshcex6i2
— WAVE (@wave3news) May 28, 2026
While the details of the crime are deeply concerning, there is some relief in the fact that the woman and the baby targeted in the incident are safe. The Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office previously confirmed this to PEOPLE, though they declined to provide specifics regarding whether the food was ingested or if the baby has since been born.
Now, the legal proceedings for the two individuals have taken different paths. While Snow has already been sentenced, Uthoff is currently awaiting trial and has pleaded not guilty.
I was the only reporter at yesterday’s hearing. Unlike other outlets, the Decorah Leader got photos inside the courtroom and quotes from the victim. #supportlocaljournalism
— Seth Boyes (@SethBoyes) May 28, 2026
Snow pleads guilty, sentenced to 10 years for delivery of drug laced lasagna |https://t.co/ygT8E8npM1 pic.twitter.com/DB0nsBm8GX
Uthoff’s charges are extensive. It includes the delivery of a controlled substance, child endangerment, and intentionally terminating a human pregnancy without the knowledge and voluntary consent of the pregnant person. He also faces two counts each of administering a harmful substance to an adult and administering a harmful substance to a juvenile. He is currently being held on a $38,000 cash or surety bond.
The couple had discussed the tainted lasagna in several phone messages and in conversations with investigators. In some cases, like that of Kevin L. Smith, who dragged his child’s mother to force an abortion, there is some inkling of a motive, supposedly avoiding parenthood. In some cases, like a horrendous case in Texas, a man forced an abortion to hide another crime. However, with both Snow and Uthoff, investigators still have no clues as to the motive behind this crime.
