Oelwein woman reaches plea agreement, won’t go to jail

The mother of an Iowa man convicted of murder won’t have to go to jail for tampering with evidence, but she will have to pay.The mother of an Oelwein man convicted of killing a Fayette County farmer in 1997 pleaded guilty to intentionally destroying evidence to protect her son from a first degree murder charge. 51-year-old Pamela Sawvel yesterday agreed to a plea bargain and was given a suspended sentence — avoiding jail time — but she must pay restitution, including attorney’s fees. Her son, Jeff, is serving a life prison sentence for the murder of 70-year-old Gehlen Quandt.