There is no single answer because sentencing for methamphetamine charges runs across an enormous range depending on several factors that courts weigh individually. What follows is a realistic breakdown of how those factors shape the outcome.
Criminal history is probably the single biggest variable. A first-time offender caught with a small personal-use amount in a state that has moved toward treatment-based sentencing might see probation, a diversion program, or a short county jail term. Someone with prior drug convictions facing the same charge can be looking at years in state prison before the facts of the current case even come into play.
The quantity involved drives the severity of the charge itself. Personal-use amounts, typically a gram or less, are treated very differently than amounts that suggest distribution. Once the weight crosses into distribution territory, mandatory minimum sentences come into play in many states and at the federal level. Federal meth charges carry some of the harshest mandatory minimums in the drug sentencing framework, with five to forty years possible depending on quantity and prior history.
Other aggravating factors can push a sentence significantly higher. Was a weapon present? Were minors involved or nearby? Did the offense occur near a school? Each of those can add mandatory enhancements on top of the base sentence.
Finally, whether the defendant pleads guilty or goes to trial matters. A negotiated plea almost always results in a lighter sentence than a conviction after trial, and cooperation with prosecutors can reduce charges and sentencing recommendations further.
As a rough baseline, first-time state-level possession charges for meth without aggravating factors often result in one to three years, with probation possible in many jurisdictions. Repeat offenders or cases with distribution quantities can reach five to ten years at the state level and significantly more federally.
If you can share more about the specific circumstances, including the state, the quantity involved, and the person's prior record, a more precise picture is possible.