AMARILLO, Texas - An Amarillo woman who mailed 78 pounds of marijuana to herself was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in federal prison Monday.

Tiffany Joy Kelly, 28, pleaded guilty in October to one count of illegal use of a communication facility, the US Attorney's Office in Dallas said in a news release. She has been in custody since her arrest in July, after a postal inspector in El Paso became suspicious of two Express Mail parcels.

A search warrant allowed officials to open the packages, which were then resealed and sent to Kelly at a motel in Amarillo.

Kelly was arrested after accepting the packages. Prosecutors said she admitted buying the marijuana and mailing it to herself so she could distribute it.