A Lawrence woman pleaded guilty to three charges this week and admitted to taking part in a crack cocaine trafficking operation.

Katheryn Alexander, 31, now faces a maximum penalty of 32 years in federal prison and up to $750,000 in fines for her three convictions.

According to court records, she pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan., to one count of conspiring to maintain a residence for manufacturing crack cocaine, one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm while using illegal drugs and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Alexander was charged in March 2006 with conspiring to distribute crack cocaine from mid-2004 to 2006 along with co-defendants Don Marcus Gibler, Aharlock Fixico, Branden Scott Walker, Ryan Ezell Fowler, Lonnie Ray Teichmann, John Burke Holt, Ryan Lavell Green, James William Beltch and Carl Ray Roubison.

Roubison, Walker, Teichmann, Green and Beltch have also entered pleas in the case.

According to Alexander’s plea agreement, she told Lawrence police investigators on April 5, 2006, that Gibler periodically manufactured cocaine into crack cocaine at her home, 1614 W. Fourth St.

“Ms. Alexander told investigators that her crack addiction was so bad she could smoke what users call ‘an eight ball’ of crack in a day. That’s approximately 3.5 grams,” said U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren.

Alexander also admitted to delivering crack cocaine to others at least 15 times for Gibler and to keeping crack cocaine in her home. She received crack cocaine in exchange for performing those services. Alexander also admitted that for a week in May 2006 she used credit cards and checks on a false identity to buy $3,250 worth of goods from various stores in Lawrence and Topeka.

Alexander also acknowledged she possessed a pistol in May 2006 while she was using drugs, according to the plea agreement.

Based on terms of the agreement, Melgren’s office will not file additional charges against Alexander and will recommend a penalty within the range of sentencing guidelines. Alexander agreed to testify in any hearings related to the case and to pay restitution to the businesses where she falsely used credit and bank cards.

Melgren said the city-county Drug Enforcement Unit, which consists of the Lawrence Police Department and Douglas County Sheriff’s officers, investigated the case.

U.S. District Judge Carlos Murguia will sentence Alexander on July 23.