CHARLESTON — A prison sentence of 13 years has been meted out to a retired Mingo County school bus driver who confessed to dealing large amounts of cocaine.

Lorene Spry Canterbury, 61, interrupted her May trial in federal court and admitted she distributed cocaine to other drug dealers in West Virginia and Kentucky.

The Dingess woman also admitted she laundered the proceeds by sending cash and money orders to her supplier in Chicago, identified as Arnoldo A. Gamboa.

Gamboa, a Mexican national, was convicted by a jury in a separate trial in June. He was charged with drug and money laundering.

Canterbury’s sister, Gracie Flossie Spry, and brother, Marvin Spry, were convicted on federal drug charges in 2001. They were sentenced to 20 and 140 years in prison, respectively.

Investigators believe that Canterbury sold drugs in part to pay for her siblings’ legal appeals. They noted that her legitimate income from her retirement and Social Security benefits averaged around $23,000 a year.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Hanks told Chief U.S.

District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin Thursday that Canterbury deserved a reduced sentence because she had given substantial assistance to the government in its case against Gamboa. She testified against him during his two-day trial. Hanks recommended a 15-year sentence.

Defense Attorney Mark Hobbs noted that Canterbury suffers from a number of ailments including chronic pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. He requested Goodwin to consider a shorter sentence than the 324 to 405 months suggested by federal sentencing guidelines.

Goodwin sentenced Canterbury to 162 months in prison. Gamboa was also scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday, but Goodwin postponed the hearing until Sept. 14 because no translator was available.