CEDAR RAPIDS — A woman who stabbed another woman in the neck with a piece of trim that broke off in the victim’s neck was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison on Tuesday.

Ashley Thompson, 38, of Tama, received the prison term after a March 31, 2025, guilty plea to one count of assault causing serious bodily injury. At the guilty plea, Thompson admitted that on Jan. 14, 2024, she assaulted a woman on the Meskwaki Settlement.

According to a press release, Thompson was in another person’s home along with the victim. An argument between multiple people occurred, and Thompson picked up a loose piece of wooden wall trim. She thrusted the piece of trim at the victim. The wood hit the victim in the neck, and a piece of the wood broke off in the victim’s neck.

Law enforcement officers responded to the scene. The victim was having difficulty breathing and appeared to be losing consciousness. The victim was transported to Marshalltown and then to Des Moines for surgery. The piece of wood was against the victim’s jugular vein but had not pierced it.

Thompson has a lengthy criminal history. She has four previous assault convictions in state court. While detained in the Polk County jail in February of 2024 following her arrest, she assaulted another inmate by throwing a cup of hot water at her. She also has multiple convictions for child endangerment, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, disorderly conduct, and theft.

Thompson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams to 63 months of imprisonment. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

Thompson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Meskwaki Nation Police Department.