District of South Dakota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on April 5, 2024.
Roy Brushbreaker, III, age 29, was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brushbreaker was indicted by a federal grand jury in November of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 11, 2024.
Brushbreaker was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in 2019. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. In August of 2023, Brushbreaker began a period of supervised release residing in Rapid City and appropriately registered as a sex offender. In October of 2023, Brushbreaker relocated to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and did not thereafter update his registration. He was arrested in Sioux Falls on November 14, 2023.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Brushbreaker was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Woman Found Guilty of Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Janine Faye Good Lance, age 44, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota of two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 11, 2024.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of eight years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Good Lance was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023.
Evidence at trial established that Good Lance operated a motor vehicle on November 18, 2022, while under the influence of alcohol. She drove off the road and rolled multiple times killing the two passengers in her vehicle. Good Lance’s BAC was between .105 and .125 at the time of the crash.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be scheduled.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on April 8, 2024.
Bert Roy Cottier, 58, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Cottier will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Cottier was indicted for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor by a federal grand jury in November of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 10, 2024.
Cottier was arrested and federally indicted after attempting to entice two undercover law enforcement agents posing as 13- and 14-year-old females. Cottier sent the undercover agents multiple sexually explicit messages and obscene matter between March of 2023 and October of 2023.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Cottier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Manderson Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner and Tampering with a Witness. The sentencing took place on April 8, 2024.
Cruz Gibbons, 28, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for the Tampering conviction, and five years in federal prison—the statutory maximum—for the Assault conviction, followed by three years of supervised release. The sentences were ordered to run concurrently. Gibbons was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Gibbons was indicted for Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner, Distribution of a Controlled Substance to an Individual Under 21 and Tampering with a Witness by a federal grand jury in October of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 12, 2024.
The convictions stem from Gibbons beating his former girlfriend in August of 2023, which caused her substantial bodily injury. After being arrested, Gibbons contacted the victim hundreds of times from the jail and persuaded her to refuse to testify. Notwithstanding Gibbons’ efforts to thwart the investigation and case, investigators successfully assembled a case against Gibbons, leading to his guilty pleas and sentencing.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Gibbons was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Ft. Thompson Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Ft. Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of eight counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor, two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact, two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, and Tampering with a Witness. The sentencing took place on April 8, 2024.
Loren Goodlow, 34, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $1,400 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Goodlow was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He was found guilty following a three-day jury trial in December of 2023.
The conviction stems from Goodlow engaging in sexual acts with two minor females on the Pine Ridge Reservation on March 18, 2023. Goodlow also enticed one of the minors in December of 2022 and engaged in sexual acts with the minor between December 26, 2022, and January 16, 2023. After the minor disclosed Goodlow’s behavior in March of 2023, Goodlow attempted to tamper with one of the witnesses. The investigation also revealed that on December 8, 2021, Goodlow enticed another minor female and attempted to receive child pornography.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Goodlow was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Texas Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Corpus Christi, Texas, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 29, 2024.
Darius Neal, 24, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Neal was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 29, 2024.
Beginning in September of 2020 and continuing until his arrest in October of 2022, Neal and five other co-conspirators knowingly conspired and agreed with each other to intentionally distribute cocaine. The conspiracy reached from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Spearfish, South Dakota. Cocaine was shipped through the U.S. Postal Service to South Dakota for the purposes of sale and distribution in South Dakota.
The Spearfish Police Department and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team conducted the investigation of the conspiracy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Neal was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Texas Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Corpus Christi, Texas, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 29, 2024.
Kevin Jarero, 23, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jarero was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 29, 2024.
Beginning in September of 2020 and continuing until his arrest in October of 2022, Jarero and five other co-conspirators knowingly conspired and agreed with each other to intentionally distribute cocaine. The conspiracy reached from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Spearfish, South Dakota. Cocaine was shipped through the U.S. Postal Service to South Dakota for the purposes of sale and distribution in South Dakota.
The Spearfish Police Department and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team conducted the investigation of the conspiracy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Jarero was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Spearfish Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Spearfish, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 29, 2024.
Erasmo Briseno, 32, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Briseno was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 29, 2024.
Beginning in September of 2020 and continuing until his arrest in October of 2022, Briseno and five other co-conspirators knowingly conspired and agreed with each other to intentionally distribute cocaine. The conspiracy reached from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Spearfish, South Dakota. Cocaine was shipped through the U.S. Postal Service to South Dakota for the purposes of sale and distribution in South Dakota.
The Spearfish Police Department and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team conducted the investigation of the conspiracy. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Murphy prosecuted the case.
Briseno was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 1, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Timothy Joseph Cervantez, age 23, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Cervantez was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 11, 2024.
The conviction stems from an incident on June 10, 2023, when law enforcement received a report that an individual had discharged a firearm from the passenger window of a moving vehicle while traveling through a Sioux Falls neighborhood. When officers located the subject vehicle, a pursuit ensued, first by vehicle and later by foot. Officers eventually apprehended Cervantez and located a firearm he discarded while fleeing on foot. Cervantez admitted to possessing the firearm despite being prohibited due to a prior felony conviction.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Sioux Falls Police Department. U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell prosecuted the case.
Cervantez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding the Payroll Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Wire Fraud. The sentencing took place on April 1, 2024.
Joshua Booth, age 27, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Booth was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 10, 2024.
The conviction stemmed from an incident in May of 2021, when Booth fraudulently submitted an application for a Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loan on behalf of his purported business through Fountainhead, a third-party participating lender in the PPP. In support of his application, Booth submitted a fraudulent Schedule C, an Internal Revenue Service form for profit or loss from a business, for “Booth cleaning service,” located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The business did not exist and the form contained false statements, which Booth knew were false, including the gross income of the purported business. As a result of Booth’s false and fraudulent application and supporting documentation, Booth received a PPP loan in the amount of $20,833 and then used the funds for his own purposes.
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Booth was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Duo Sentenced to Federal Prison for Making a False Statement in the Acquisition of a Firearm and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced two Sioux Falls, South Dakota, men convicted of Making a False Statement in the Acquisition of a Firearm and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Andrew Robert Gordon, age 38, and Deandre Arnell Burnett, age 23, were indicted for Making a False Statement in the Acquisition of a Firearm and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December of 2022. Each defendant pleaded guilty in 2023.
Burnett was sentenced on August 14, 2023, in Sioux Falls, for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and ordered to serve three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Gordon was sentenced on March 25, 2024, in Sioux Falls, for Making a False Statement in the Acquisition of a Firearm and ordered to serve three years of probation. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
In September of 2022, Burnett, a convicted felon, sought to purchase a firearm. Gordon agreed to purchase a firearm for Burnett at a premium. The entire transaction was captured on surveillance video of Burnett and Gordon at a licensed federal firearms business in Sioux Falls. Burnett picked out a gun, counted out and handed Gordon the cash, Gordon made the purchase of the firearm, then Gordon handed Burnett the firearm once they both exited the store. This transaction is commonly referred to as a “straw purchase.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Department, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
Burnett was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to ProbationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta L. Wollmann has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault on a Federal Officer, a misdemeanor crime. The sentencing took place on April 3, 2024.
Shadrach Franklin Howie, 40, was sentenced to three years of probation, 100 hours of community service, a $2,500 fine, and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Howie was indicted for Assault on a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 5, 2024.
The conviction stems from Howie resisting and impeding a park ranger on February 2, 2021. At the time, the ranger was trying to take Howie into custody after a high-speed pursuit through Wind Cave National Park.
This case was investigated by the National Park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Porcupine Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Porcupine, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on March 29, 2024.
Robert Cottier, 65, was sentenced to two eight-year terms in federal prison, to run concurrently, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and restitution. Eight years is the statutory maximum for involuntary manslaughter.
Cottier was indicted for Involuntary Manslaughter and four counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 3, 2024.
The convictions stem from Cottier operating a motor vehicle on February 18, 2023, while under the influence of alcohol, causing a head-on collision with another vehicle. The collision killed one man and injured four others, three of which were minors. Cottier’s BAC was approximately between .128% and .198% at the time of the collision.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Cottier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced for Assaulting OfficerRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault on a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on March 29, 2024.
Gregory Wayne Brewer, Jr., 25, was sentenced to two years and eleven months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brewer was indicted for Assault on a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in October of 2023. He pleaded guilty on January 5, 2024.
The conviction stems from Brewer assaulting an Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety officer after the officer had arrested him for an unrelated matter.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Brewer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Nevada Woman Found Guilty of Meth TraffickingRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Dawn Eagle Feather Floyd, age 45, of Sparks, Nevada, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a four-day jury trial in federal district court in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on March 29, 2024.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum term of five years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in federal prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, at least four years up to life of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Floyd was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2020. A superseding indictment was filed in May of 2023.
Between January 1, 2019, and January 1, 2020, Floyd, knowingly and intentionally, agreed with others to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Floyd conspired with others to travel to Colorado where she obtained methamphetamine and brought it back to her home in Valentine, Nebraska, and then onto the Rosebud Reservation for distribution. Law enforcement recovered over 120 grams from Floyd’s residence, vehicle, and person during the investigation.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Valentine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for June 24, 2024. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Francis Man of Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Tyson Quigley, a/k/a Tyson Stands, age 35, of St. Francis, South Dakota, was found guilty of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm following a federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 4, 2024.
The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Quigley was indicted by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on January 1, 2023, in Todd County, South Dakota. On that date, law enforcement was searching for Quigley based on an alleged home invasion that occurred that morning in St. Francis. Quigley was subsequently located in a parked vehicle at a residence near St. Francis. A .40 caliber pistol was found in the vehicle where he was sitting.
Quigley has three prior felony convictions. In 2013, he was convicted of Domestic Assault of a Pregnant Woman in Platte County, Nebraska. In 2018, he was convicted of Felon in Possession of a Firearm in U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota. In 2019, he was convicted of Possession of Methamphetamine in Madison County, Nebraska. As a result of these convictions, it is illegal for Quigley to possess firearms or ammunition. Quigley will forfeit ownership of the firearm to the United States.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not been set. Quigley was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Eleven Sioux Falls Men Charged with Online Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a joint online sex crimes operation, which ran from March 7, 2024, through March 12, 2024, has concluded with the arrest of 11 individuals. The operation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Tea Police Department, Rapid City Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
As a result, the following individuals from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were arrested and federally charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet:
- Kyle Dean Bult, age 38;
- Kalvin Michael Frankus, age 37;
- Hunter Hill, age 22;
- Stacy Shannon Hoover, age 56;
- Ryan Nigro, age 32;
- Jorge Manual Rodriguez-Marroquin, age 47;
- Dylan Ryan, age 24;
- Gerber David Santos Gonzalez, age 25;
- William Danery Sebastian, age 33;
- Southy Thepmontry, age 69; and
- Carter Lee Tyree, age 20.
The mandatory minimum penalty upon conviction is 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine. The charges are merely accusations, and all Defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
“This operation demonstrates the unsettling reality that here in our own communities, there are individuals using the Internet to target young girls and boys for sex,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell. “We are grateful to our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, who regularly collaborate to safeguard children across South Dakota. May it serve as a stark reminder to parents, guardians, and caretakers that the Internet can be a very dangerous place for children, particularly when their activity is left unmonitored.”
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents work tirelessly to protect children from exploitation,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “This successful online sex crimes operation shows the threat child predators pose in our communities and the importance of working hand-in-hand with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to bring individuals and networks who prey on vulnerable populations to justice.”
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeffrey C. Clapper and Elizabeth A. Ebert.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Oglala Sioux Tribe President Convicted of Wire Fraud, Larceny, and EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Julian Bear Runner, age 38, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, of six counts of Wire Fraud, one count of Larceny, and one count of Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal Organization following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 4, 2024.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $800 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bear Runner was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022.
Between January of 2019 and January of 2020, at Pine Ridge, Bear Runner, while acting in his capacity as President of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, fraudulently submitted travel vouchers for official business travel and received payment for travel that he was not entitled to as he was not actually traveling. The evidence at trial showed that Bear Runner submitted multiple travel authorizations to different locations outside South Dakota, including New Mexico, Montana, Ohio, North Carolina, New York, and Arizona, claiming the need to travel for official business. As a result of those travel authorizations, Bear Runner received thousands of dollars in advance travel payments but did not go on the travel. Instead, Bear Runner cashed the checks at a casino, gambled, and stayed in local hotels.
“When government leaders abuse positions of power for personal financial gain, it’s the public that pays the price,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “In this case, Julian Bear Runner stole more than $80,000 from the Oglala Sioux Tribe, embezzling money that could have otherwise been used to improve life for those living throughout the Pine Ridge Reservation. We are grateful to our partners at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the FBI for conducting a fulsome investigation of Bear Runner’s fraudulent activities and helping us secure today’s swift verdict.”
“HHS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, is committed to holding government leaders accountable,” said Linda Hanley, Special Agent in Charge at the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “This official violated the trust of his duties by exploiting tribal funds for personal pursuits. HHS-OIG is committed to ensuring that all government funds are used for their intended purposes.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Patterson and Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date will be scheduled. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case was brought pursuant to the Guardians Project, a federal law enforcement initiative to coordinate efforts between participating agencies, to promote citizen disclosure of public corruption, fraud, and embezzlement involving federal program funds, contracts, and grants, and to hold accountable those who are responsible for adversely affecting those living in South Dakota’s Indian country communities. The Guardians Project is another step of federal law enforcement’s on-going efforts to increase engagement, coordination, and positive action on behalf of tribal communities. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the participating agencies include: the FBI; the Offices of Inspector General for the Departments of Interior, Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, Agriculture, Transportation, Education, Justice, and Housing and Urban Development; IRS Criminal Investigation; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
For additional information about the Guardians Project, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (605) 330-4400. To report a suspected crime, please contact law enforcement at the federal agency’s locally listed telephone number.
Kyle Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 27, 2024.
Evan Brown Bull, 38, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brown Bull was found guilty following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota, in January of 2024.
The conviction stems from Brown Bull, a previously convicted felon, being found in possession of 11 rounds of Black Hills Ammunition brand, .380 AUTO caliber ammunition, 49 rounds of Blazer brand, 9x19mm Luger ammunition, and 49 rounds of PMC brand, .38 Special caliber ammunition. Because Brown Bull is a previously convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing ammunition. The ammunition was found after Brown Bull came into contact with Rapid City law enforcement during a traffic stop in March of 2022.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Brown Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Montana Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Wolf Point, Montana, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on March 18, 2024.
Marcus Cloke, age 19, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Cloke was indicted for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 7, 2023.
As part of an inmate exchange agreement, Cloke was transferred to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Corrections Facility in Mission, South Dakota, from the Fort Peck Adult Correctional Facility in Poplar, Montana. The defendant was serving a sentence after being convicted in Fort Peck Tribal Court. On May 6, 2023, the defendant was housed in the disciplinary unit refusing to go to his individual cell. A correctional officer entered the unit to speak to the defendant. Rather than going back to his cell, the defendant struck the officer in the face and a struggle ensued, with the defendant continuing to throw punches at the officer. The officer wrestled the defendant to the floor to gain control. The defendant, however, was able to grab the officer’s baton and struck the officer in the head numerous times. As the two continued to wrestle, the defendant was able to gain an advantage and position himself on top of the officer. The defendant then used his fists to strike the officer in the face and body. The officer had significant swelling to his right eye, lacerations to his lip, forehead, and scalp, and bruising to his tongue, left ear, and right jaw. The officer received staples for his scalp laceration and sutures for his forehead laceration.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Corrections Facility. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Cloke was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Saskatchewan Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Saskatchewan, Canada, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 15, 2024.
Benjamin Martin Moore, 52, was sentenced to four years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Moore will be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Moore was indicted for Possession of Child Pornography and Transporting Illegal Aliens by a federal grand jury in August of 2022. He pleaded guilty on December 13, 2023.
On August 9, 2022, Moore illegally entered the United States with his significant other and her two minor children. It was believed Moore fled Canada likely to escape potential prosecution and removal of the children from their custody. Moore had entered the United States by cutting a barbed wire fence near Turner, Montana. An Amber Alert was issued, and it was reported that Moore had been working as a security guard at a campground in Meade County, South Dakota. Agents responded to the campground and were able to locate Moore attempting to flee with his significant other and her minor children. Agents were able to stop Moore and upon his arrest located a cell phone and SIM card in his possession. A forensic examination of the phone revealed he was in possession of images and videos of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Meade County Sheriff’s Office, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Havre Sector Border Patrol, and the Canadian Child Protective Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Moore was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on March 15, 2024.
McKinley Two Bulls Hunter, 26, was sentenced to two years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Two Bulls Hunter was indicted for Sexual Abuse of a Minor by a federal grand jury in May of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 29, 2023.
The conviction stems from Two Bulls Hunter sexually abusing a 13-year-old female on July 22, 2021, at a residence in Pine Ridge. The defendant was 24 years old at the time of the abuse.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Two Bulls Hunter was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Oglala Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced an Oglala, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on March 15, 2024.
Cole Don Brewer, 32, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brewer was indicted for Discharge of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon by a federal grand jury in September of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 1, 2023.
The conviction stems from Brewer shooting a male twice in the legs on August 24, 2023, at an apartment in Pine Ridge, South Dakota.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Brewer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Brandon Man Sentenced for Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Brandon, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 14, 2024.
Gatlin Wayne Herrera, age 31, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Herrera will also need to register as a sex offender.
Herrera was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 30, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incident between March 7, 2022, and March 16, 2022, when Herrera used his cell phone to knowingly request child pornography from an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old female.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Herrera was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former S.C. Police Chief Sentenced for Cyberstalking and Threats in Multi-Victim Sextortion SchemeRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — William Bruce Parker, 67, of West Columbia, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison yesterday after pleading guilty to cyberstalking resulting in serious bodily injury and communicating threats with the intent to extort victims for the production of pornography and coerced sex acts.
Evidence presented to the court showed that Parker, a former Chief of Police of the Town of Pine Ridge and a retired 35-year veteran of law enforcement in South Carolina, was a state constable at the time of the offenses. Parked admitted to sending a series of threatening emails, texts, and voice messages in 2021 and 2022 from spoofed accounts and phone numbers to numerous female victims. Evidence presented at sentencing indicated there were six victims, many of whom were related by blood or marriage. His messages demanded his victims produce and send pornography of themselves or he would harm the victims and their families, including physical and sexual violence directed at his victims and their spouses, children, and grandchildren, if they did not comply with his demands. In his threats, he identified the victims’ homes, churches, workplaces, schools, and communities, specific family members and their children, and threatened harm if his victims went to the police or male family members. Parker also threatened sexual violence against his victim’s toddler-aged children and grandchildren.
After receiving the demands, victims reached out to Parker for advice and help given their relationship with him and his position in his law enforcement. Parker lied to the victims by telling them he was coordinating an investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). SLED confirmed in truth Parker never contacted SLED. Parker directed the victims to comply with the extortionists’ demands to assist SLED in the investigation. Once Parker had the coerced pornography, he then threatened to leak these images to obtain more. His threats culminated with demands that the victims engage in sex acts with Parker, record the conduct, and send to the extortionists. As a result of these threats, Parker obtained coerced sex.
Senior United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Parker to 15 years imprisonment to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. At sentencing, Judge Currie stated that the conduct in this case was “as depraved as anything I’ve seen in my 30 years as a federal district judge.” Parker is also required to pay $10,000 in restitution to the victims.
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and Lexington County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Elle E. Klein are prosecuting the case.
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Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Involvement in Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 11, 2024.
Bradmon Alexander, 36, was sentenced to 11 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Alexander was indicted, along with his co-conspirator Mackenzie Zimmerman, for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. Alexander pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on December 12, 2023, and Zimmerman pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on December 29, 2023. Zimmerman is set to be sentenced on March 25, 2024.
Alexander and Zimmerman obtained methamphetamine from co-conspirators and then distributed it to others in South Dakota. On January 19, 2023, law enforcement stopped a vehicle that Alexander and Zimmerman were in and executed a search warrant. The officers searched the vehicle and found 26.7 grams of methamphetamine packaged for sale, a digital scale, approximately 13.82 grams of pills suspected to contain fentanyl, and $1,428 in cash. In total, Alexander was responsible for personally distributing approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and hundreds of fentanyl pills.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of the Sioux Falls Police Department and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Alexander was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison in Connection with Fentanyl DeathRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls man convicted of one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death and two counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on March 11, 2024.
Armando Angel Cheshier, 25, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on the count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death. He was also sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on both counts of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. All sentences are to run concurrently with one another. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $12, 457.85 and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Cheshier was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. He was found guilty on all counts by a jury on November 22, 2023.
Cheshier distributed fentanyl and Xanax to the victim in this case, which ultimately resulted in her death, due to the fatal amounts of fentanyl in her system. The defendant and victim in this case were friends and had spent the night together, after both ingesting multiple illegal narcotics. The defendant awoke the next day to find the victim lying lifeless in his bed. After Cheshier traveled across town to obtain Narcan to administer to the victim, the authorities were then called, and pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. An interview of the defendant following the incident revealed that he had not only provided the fentanyl that caused the overdose, but that he had also ingested the remaining pills prior to authorities arriving at the scene. Prior to the date of the overdose incident, Cheshier had traveled to Minneapolis to obtain 100 fentanyl pills, which were for both personal use and distribution in the Sioux Falls area.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Cheshier was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexican Citizen Sentenced to over 27 Years in Federal Prison in a South Dakota Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sinaloa, Mexico man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 11, 2024.
Melecio Rodriguez Medina, 39, was sentenced to 27 years and three months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised released. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Rodriguez Medina, and his co-conspirator, Mario Castro Covarrubias, were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2022. Rodriguez Medina pleaded guilty on November 6, 2023 and Mario Castro Covarrubias pleaded guilty on January 3, 2024.
Rodriguez Medina and Castro Covarrubias were based in Mexico and were part of an international organization that arranged for the transportation of large amounts of narcotics to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, from Mexico. They coordinated with two couriers to get approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine delivered to Sioux Falls in October of 2021. On October 18, 2021, law enforcement seized the cocaine that they had shipped to South Dakota. In December of 2021, the two again coordinated to ship approximately 42 kilograms of cocaine to Sioux Falls, which was also seized. In addition to cocaine, Rodriguez Medina was responsible for organizing a shipment of 1 kilogram of fentanyl pills to Sioux Falls. Investigators also determined that Rodriguez Medina made arrangements for a co-conspirator in South Dakota to pick up multi-pound shipments of methamphetamine in California and then take them back to South Dakota for distribution.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Rodriguez Medina was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
- Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison
Tea Man Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Tea, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Nicholas Ganske, 44, was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ganske was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 29, 2023.
Ganske, along with his co-conspirators, was responsible for distributing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota. Ganske would meet a co-conspirator to purchase drugs, which both knew Ganske would then sell to others in the Sioux Falls, South Dakota area.
The investigation is being led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from other law enforcement agencies such as: FBI, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Brookings Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Rock County (MN) Sheriff’s Office, Worthington (MN) Police Department, and the Mitchell Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen.
Ganske was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kyle Man Found Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Evan Brown Bull, age 38, of Kyle, South Dakota, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance - Methamphetamine following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on March 8, 2024.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of ten years, up to life, in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brown Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023.
Evidence at trial established that between 2016 and 2023, Brown Bull conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine on the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City, South Dakota. Brown Bull was seen on video selling drugs and chat records obtained also detailed multiple methamphetamine deals and demonstrated the conspiracy in which Brown Bull was involved.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Martin Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has yet to be set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Marcus Jerell Anderson, age 35, was sentenced to four years and two months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Anderson was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on December 1, 2023.
On February 11, 2023, Anderson was the driver of a vehicle pulled over for a traffic violation. While car-side, officers smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and the vehicle was searched. Law enforcement located over 100 grams of marijuana, over 20 grams of cocaine, a working digital scale, $2,575 in cash, and a Springfield Armory Hellcat 9mm handgun under the driver’s seat. The investigation confirmed that Anderson had been in possession of that firearm; however, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he is a convicted felon. In 2009, Anderson was convicted of Aggravated Assault in Davison County, South Dakota.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Anderson was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Jayden Kusiek Wolf, age 24, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Wolf will also need to register as a sex offender upon his release.
Wolf was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 30, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between May 25, 2021, and July 7, 2021, when Wolf persuaded a minor female in Sioux Falls to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Wolf used the social media app Snapchat to induce the minor to send explicit photographs to him.
“This case underscores the dangers of social media in the hands of vulnerable youth,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Here, Jayden Wolf used Snapchat to entice very young victims into sharing sexually explicit images of themselves. Their lives have been forever changed by his predatory behavior. We are grateful to our law enforcement partners at Homeland Security Investigations for uncovering Wolf’s criminal activity, and we hope this case will serve as a reminder to parents throughout South Dakota that they must be vigilant in monitoring their children’s use of social media.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul special agents work tirelessly to combat child predators like Wolf,” said Jamie Holt, HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge. “We will continue to fight against the exploitation of children and support victims by providing critical resources and services. Well done to the HSI special agents in South Dakota and our law enforcement community partners for bringing Wolf to justice for his reprehensible crimes.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Wolf was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rosebud Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Christopher Wright, age 32, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wright was indicted for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 11, 2023.
Wright’s mother regularly provided childcare for her friends’ children, including the victim. Wright would be present in the Rosebud home while the children were there. When the victim was approximately 8 or 9 years old, and the defendant was in his mid-twenties, the defendant engaged in sexual contact with the victim. During an interview, the defendant admitted that he knew it was wrong and further stated that he put the victim through “traumatizing stuff.”
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Wright was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Justice and Interior Departments Outline Commitment, Next Steps in Effort to Address Missing or Murdered Indigenous Peoples and Human Trafficking CrisisRead the Press Release
The Departments of Justice and the Interior today released their joint response to the Not Invisible Act Commission’s recommendations on how to combat the missing or murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) and human trafficking crisis. The response recognizes that more must be done across the federal government to resolve this longstanding crisis and support healing from the generational traumas that Indigenous peoples have endured throughout the history of the United States.
“These recommendations are an important and necessary step toward healing the trauma, pain, and loss that Tribal communities have endured for generations,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department is committed to working with our partners at the Department of the Interior to put an end to the missing or murdered Indigenous persons and human trafficking crisis. We are deeply grateful to the Not Invisible Act commissioners and the survivors and family members of victims who testified before the Commission about their heartbreaking experiences. Those testimonies and the Commission’s recommendations will continue to guide our work.”
“Addressing violent crimes against Indigenous peoples has long been underfunded and ignored, as a cause of intergenerational trauma that has affected our communities since colonization,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland. “Through historic efforts like the Not Invisible Act Commission, we’re identifying recommendations created by Indian Country, for Indian Country. This will ensure that epidemics like the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples Crisis and Human Trafficking are addressed with the resources they demand.”
The Justice and Interior Departments’ response addresses the Commission’s areas of concern including:
- Law enforcement and investigative resources;
- Recruitment and retention of law enforcement;
- Data collection and reporting;
- Cross-jurisdictional coordination;
- Family and survivor resources;
- Improving public safety resources; and
- Alaska-specific issues.
The Not Invisible Act Commission was created by the Not Invisible Act, the enactment of which was led by Secretary Haaland during her time in Congress. The Commission included law enforcement, Tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing or murdered individuals, and survivors. As mandated by the Act, the Commission developed recommendations for federal government actions to take on focused topics to combat violent crime against Indigenous people and within Indian lands, and to address the epidemic of missing people, and the murder or trafficking of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples, as specified under the law.
Background on Efforts to Address the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP)
At the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit, President Biden signed Executive Order 14053 on Improving Public Safety and Criminal Justice for Native Americans and Addressing the Crisis of Missing or Murdered Indigenous People directing the Departments of the Interior, Justice, and Health and Human Services to work with Tribal Nations and partners to build safe and healthy Tribal communities and to support comprehensive law enforcement, prevention, intervention and support services. In March 2022, the President signed the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 into law, which built on advancements from previous reauthorizations and reinforced Tribal sovereignty by recognizing Tribes’ inherent authority to address the epidemic of violence within their lands and communities.
At the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the FBI announced an agreement to provide for the effective and efficient administration of criminal investigations in Indian Country. The agreement specified that the BIA Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) and the FBI would cooperate on investigations and share information and investigative reports as well as establish written guidelines outlining jurisdiction and investigative roles and responsibilities. The agreement also requires that all BIA, FBI, and Tribal law enforcement officers receive training regarding trauma-informed, culturally responsive investigative approaches. In addition, at the Tribal Nations Summit, the Attorney General announced the selection of the Justice Department’s first Native American Outreach Services Liaison, who works to ensure that victims of crimes have a voice in every step of the criminal justice process where the federal government has jurisdiction.
Attorney General Garland traveled to Alaska last August, meeting with Tribal leaders and representatives of Native Tribal organizations to discuss public safety challenges and partnerships with Tribal communities to combat the MMIP crisis.
Since the establishment of the NIAC in 2020, the Justice Department has made strides in implementing systems aimed at preventing new instances of MMIP, locating individuals who are reported missing, and, where a crime has occurred, investigating and prosecuting those responsible.
In June 2023, the Justice Department launched the MMIP Regional Outreach Program. This program places regional attorneys and coordinators at U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the United States to help prevent and respond to cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people, and it will work closely with the Native American Outreach Services Liaison to improve the Justice Department’s response to the MMIP crisis.
The Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime expanded the scope of allowable activities under its Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside grant program to permit Tribal communities to pay for costs related to generating awareness of individual missing persons cases involving American Indians and Alaska Native persons, supporting search efforts and coordination of Tribal, state, and federal responses to MMIP cases.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Matthew Richard Hainje, age 45, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Hainje was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 30, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incidents December 20, 2022, and February 13, 2023, when Hainje possessed thousands of digital files which contained photos and video recordings of child pornography. Hainje used his cellular phone to access the digital files of child pornography on the internet and saved them to his Google and Dropbox accounts.
This case was investigated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Hainje was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the InternetRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Joshua David Catron, age 34, was sentenced to 12 years and seven months years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Catron will need to register as a sex offender upon his release.
Catron was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 29, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on March 3, 2023, when Catron, using his cellular phone to access the application MeetMe, attempted to persuade an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old female to distribute child pornography to him.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Catron was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 4, 2024.
Garrett Goodlow, age 26, was sentenced to six years and eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Goodlow was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 30, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy beginning in February of 2022 when Goodlow knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with others to distribute methamphetamine in and around the central South Dakota area, including on the Lower Brule and Crow Creek reservations. Goodlow received distributable quantities of methamphetamine and re-distributed it. During the course of the conspiracy, a traffic stop occurred on February 28, 2023, where Goodlow was arrested after over a pound of methamphetamine was located in his vehicle.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the FBI, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Goodlow was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Porcupine Man Found Guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Wilbur Morrison, Jr., age 36, of Porcupine, South Dakota, of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor and one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on February 28, 2024.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 30 years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life on supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Morrison was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023.
Morrison sexually abused a juvenile female on the evening of January 12, 2023, near Porcupine. This abuse was witnessed by two juvenile males. As a result of sexual abuse committed by Morrison, syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease, was transmitted to the juvenile female victim.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has been set for May 17, 2024. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Charges in Multi-State Meth and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Charges in Multi-State Meth and Money Laundering Conspiracy
First of 24 Co-Conspirators Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that 24 individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. On February 5, 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced the first of 24 co-conspirators, Marissa Apodaca, 36, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Apodaca was further ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. She pleaded guilty to the charge of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance on October 30, 2023.
Additional Defendants charged in the widespread conspiracy include:
- Nathan Johnson, 38, of Denver, Colorado
- Michele Johnson, 48, of Steen, Minnesota
- Matthew Thomas, 51, of Denver, Colorado
- Jesse Richmond, 50, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Tony Hunter, a/k/a “Ox,” 52, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Lance Brunsting, 55, of Denver, Colorado
- Darrin Johnson, 42, of Denver, Colorado
- Hanna Felling, 39, of St. Cloud, Minnesota
- Nicholas Ganske, 44, of Tea, South Dakota
- Donald Wise, 42, of Crooks, South Dakota
- Jesus Salamo-Roche, 63, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Misty Turner, 34, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Jessica Knight, 45, of Presho, South Dakota
- Christopher Spider, 44, of Presho, South Dakota
- Sapphire Big Eagle, 29, of Lower Brule, South Dakota
- Sunny Big Eagle, 48, of Lower Brule, South Dakota
- Donald Wagner, 68, of Denver, Colorado
- Donovan Pinkston, 37, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Destiny Wilson, 34, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Caitlin Schmidt, 29, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Nicholas Sherard, 35, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
- Cody Schmidt, 35, of Steen, Minnesota
- Terry Rider, 48, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota
The grand jury also charged Nathan Johnson, Michele Johnson, Matthew Thomas, and Jesse Richmond with Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, and Tony Hunter with possession of a firearm by a felon. All individuals were indicted on August 8, 2023.
The Indictments allege that from an unknown date through July 26, 2023, the above-listed individuals conspired with others to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in South Dakota and elsewhere. The money laundering charges allege that from an unknown date to July 26, 2023, the four above-listed defendants conspired to conduct financial transactions which involved the proceeds from this drug conspiracy. The charges are merely accusations, and the individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Since Indictment, each defendant has appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy and pleaded not guilty.
Nathan Johnson, Michele Johnson, Matthew Thomas, Jesse Richmond, Tony Hunter, Nicholas Ganske, Donald Wise, Jesus Salamo-Roche, Donald Wagner, Nicholas Sherard, and Terry Rider all face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years upon conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and a maximum of life in federal prison. All other defendants face a penalty upon conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance of up to 20 years in federal prison. The money laundering charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
The investigation is being led by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from other law enforcement agencies such as: Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Brookings Police Department, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, Rock County (MN) Sheriff’s Office, Worthington (MN) Police Department, and Mitchell Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen.
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Three of Four Co-Conspirators Sentenced in Fentanyl, Meth, and Firearms ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced three defendants convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Antoine Ray Thomas, 39, of San Francisco, California, was sentenced on February 12, 2024, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Antoine was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute over 500 grams of Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Tyrin Thomas, Jr., 28, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced on February 5, 2024, to 27 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Tyrin was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute over 500 grams of Methamphetamine.
Lyric Christina Simon Tschetter, 26, also of Sioux Falls, was sentenced on February 9, 2024, to 12 years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Lyric was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute over 400 grams of Fentanyl.
All three defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2022. Antoine Ray Thomas pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on November 8, 2023; Tyrin Thomas, Jr. pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on October 27, 2023; and Lyric Christina Simon Tschetter pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl on November 21, 2023.
A fourth defendant, Stevie Thomas, was indicted in this conspiracy on September 12, 2023, on the charges of Conspiracy to Distribute 500 Grams or more of Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or more of Fentanyl, and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments. He is currently set for trial in May of 2024.
These defendants were operating a large methamphetamine and fentanyl distribution organization in South Dakota. Their source was located in California who was supplied by sources in Mexico. This conspiracy involved fifty pounds of methamphetamine, hundreds of pills containing fentanyl, and several firearms and ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Ebert and Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
All three defendants were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced for Her Role in Fentanyl and Meth Conspiracy, While Co-Conspirators Await SentencingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 5, 2024.
Tayler Alyssa Hanssen, 29, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hanssen was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute at least 400 grams of Fentanyl by a federal grand jury in December of 2022. She pleaded guilty on October 30, 2023.
Hanssen obtained pills that contained fentanyl from co-conspirators and then distributed the pills to others in the Sioux Falls area. She was personally involved in the distribution of more than 6,000 pills containing fentanyl.
The co-conspirators, who were indicted with Hanssen, are Kaitlin Tierra Meis, who pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on January 5, 2024, and Lauren Gena Pourier, who pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine on December 21, 2024. Meis is set to be sentenced on April 1, 2024, and Pourier is set to be sentenced on March 11, 2024. Both Meis and Pourier are from Sioux Falls.
This case was investigated by the FBI, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Hanssen was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on February 16, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Travene Tyrone Myers, age 42, was sentenced to seven years and eight months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Myers was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in September of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 7, 2023.
The conviction stems from an incident on July 10, 2023, when law enforcement was dispatched to an address in Sioux Falls. When officers arrived, they located Myers in a vehicle and initiated a stop. During a subsequent search of the vehicle, an officer located a fully loaded, semi-automatic pistol under the driver seat, which Myers, a convicted felon, admitted to possessing.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Myers was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Second-Degree Murder, Robbery, Carjacking, and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. The sentencing took place on February 6, 2024.
JT Myore, 37, was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $400 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
JT Myore was also indicted for Carjacking, Robbery, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He was found guilty of Robbery, Carjacking, and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence following a jury trial in federal district court on September 27, 2023. He was also indicted for Second-Degree Murder by a federal grand jury in August of 2021, and found guilty of Second-Degree Murder following a jury trial on November 9, 2023.
In August of 2019, Myore and a co-defendant brandished firearms in order to carjack a Ford Freestyle from another male in Pine Ridge. In May of 2021, Myore and his co-defendants forcibly assaulted a male in Pine Ridge in order to steal his Toyota Celica. The male sustained a broken arm and cuts and contusions to his head and face.
In May of 2021, Myore was at a party at a residence just outside of Pine Ridge. He was intoxicated and a verbal confrontation ensued among some of the party-goers and the male victim. The victim attempted to walk away, but before he could get away, Myore stabbed him to death with a knife.
These cases were investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Myore was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Illinois Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Passing Counterfeit United States Currency and Attempted Passing Counterfeit United States CurrencyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Chicago, Illinois, man convicted of Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency and Attempted Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency. The sentencing took place on February 12, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Shavez Moody, age 28, was sentenced to one year and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $817.54 in restitution to retail stores where he had passed counterfeit currency and $200 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Moody was indicted for Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency and Attempted Passing Counterfeit U.S. Currency by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 7, 2023.
Moody passed and attempted to pass counterfeit $100 bills at retail stores in Sioux Falls and Aberdeen, South Dakota, knowing the bills were counterfeit and receiving goods and genuine currency as change. Moody did so intending to defraud the retailers.
This case was investigated by U.S. Secret Service, Aberdeen Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota Fusion Center, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Moody was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Washington Man Sentenced for His Role in South Dakota Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Spokane, Washington, man convicted of Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on January 29, 2024.
Jason James Brickner, 44, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jason Brickner and Sonny Evenson were indicted for Conspiracy to Possess a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. Brickner pleaded guilty on October 4, 2024. His co-conspirator, Sonny Evenson, 39, also of Spokane, Washington, pleaded guilty to the same charge on December 11, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 26, 2024.
On June 13, 2022, Brickner was driving a vehicle in which Evenson was a passenger, when the men were pulled over for a traffic violation on I-90 in South Dakota by a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper. Ultimately, the vehicle and Brickner were searched and the Trooper located more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
Brickner was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
South Dakota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a South Dakota man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on February 9, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Wyatt White Eyes, age 27, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
White Eyes was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded on November 29, 2023.
According to court documents, White Eyes knew he was required to register as a sex offender for 25 years following a 2020 conviction for Solicitation of a Minor in July of 2020. He left his residence in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and moved to Aurora, Missouri, on November 26, 2022. He knowingly and intentionally did not register at any address after he left the Sioux Falls residence until he was arrested in Missouri on March 15, 2023.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
White Eyes was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on February 9, 2024, in Sioux Falls.
Israel Estrada, age 29, was sentenced to one year and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Estrada was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 16, 2023.
According to court documents, on March 3, 2023, Estrada knowingly possessed a semi-automatic pistol. At that time, he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition, as a result of his prior felony conviction.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Estrada was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute. The sentencing took place on January 29, 2024.
Brady Jon Sigler, 27, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sigler was indicted for Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 17, 2023.
Sigler went to a UPS store with a package containing fentanyl in the form of approximately 950 pressed M30 pills. He sent the package containing the pills to another person on behalf of a third party in exchange for $100.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Sigler was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Receives 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on February 6, 2024.
James Dreamer, age 41, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by seven years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Dreamer will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Dreamer was indicted for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 6, 2023.
Dreamer was arrested as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following hundreds of Facebook and text messages with a person Dreamer believed to be a 15-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Dreamer proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When Dreamer went to the pre-determined location to meet the minor, he was instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Dreamer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.