District of South Dakota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man on charges of Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft.
Benjamin Paul Wiener, age 43, was indicted last month on 29 counts. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on July 10, 2026, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both imprisonment and a fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for Bank Fraud is up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, or both imprisonment and a fine, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for Aggravated Identity theft is a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years’ imprisonment in addition to any term of imprisonment imposed for any other counts of conviction.
According to the indictment, Wiener devised a fraud scheme to obtain money and digital currency from victims who invested with Wiener’s companies. Wiener made materially false statements and fraudulent representations to induce his victims to invest money with his companies. His fraud scheme has negatively impacted dozens of victims throughout the region, including in South Dakota and Minnesota.
After obtaining funds from his victims, Wiener then allegedly moved victims’ funds to conceal and disguise the location, source, ownership, and control of the funds. In other words, as alleged in the indictment, Wiener laundered the fraud proceeds through and into various financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges to cover his conduct and to control and expend the funds on personal expenses. In furtherance of this scheme, as alleged, when victims’ funds became depleted or a certain investor requested the return of their investment, Wiener would seek new investors to then use new funds to use on personal expenses and to pay back previous investors. As a result of Wiener’s conduct, the government alleges the estimated total loss is approximately $20 million.
Wiener allegedly used the following entities to perpetrate the fraud scheme and money laundering activities: Benaiah Capital LLC; Benaiah Holdings, Inc.; Benaiah Digital Fixed Income LP; Benaiah Digital LP; Benaiah Management Company, Inc.; Benaiah Enterprises, LLC; Aslan Management, LLC; and Runway Four10.
In addition, the indictment alleges Wiener defrauded a financial institution located in Sioux Falls. In April 2025, as alleged, he secured a line of credit for $1,000,000 by falsifying to the bank various documents, information, and correspondence. To do so, he utilized, without authority, another individual’s personal identifying information.
As with any indictment, the charges are merely accusations, and Wiener is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation is being conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the FBI, and the United States Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.
Wiener was released on bond pending trial. A trial date of September 15, 2026, has been set.
Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota woman convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on July 6, 2026.
Brenda Fernandez, age 52, was sentenced to four years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, $ 1,000 fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Fernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. She pleaded guilty on April 8, 2026.
The conviction stems from a traffic stop on September 1, 2024, in the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation during which officers recovered 34 grams of pure methamphetamine, a scale, baggies and a drug ledger in Fernandez’s possession. Fernandez was intending to distribute the methamphetamine within the reservation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Dewey County Sheriff’s Office, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, FBI, and DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Fernandez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on July 13, 2026.
Aaron England, 30, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
England was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in January 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 13, 2026.
On July 23, 2024, in Rapid City, SD, law enforcement initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle England was driving. England failed to immediately stop. He later parked the car and fled from law enforcement on foot. On the floorboard of the driver’s side, law enforcement found a stolen pistol along with drug paraphernalia, which England had been in possession of before fleeing. England was later caught and arrested. England had been convicted of a crime punishable beyond a year in prison. As a result, he was a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
England was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pukwana, SD Duo Sentenced to Federal Prison for Embezzlement and Theft from an Indian Tribal OrganizationRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Pukwana, South Dakota, man and woman, each of whom was earlier convicted of Embezzlement and Theft from Indian Tribal Organization. The sentencing took place on June 29, 2026.
Kyle James Loudner, age 40, was sentenced to one year and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Restitution was also ordered for $160,000.
Talyn Ashley Douville, age 34, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Restitution was also ordered for $160,000.
The two were jointly indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025. Loudner pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026, and Douville pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026.
Between May 27, 2022, and July 2, 2024, Loudner, an elected official, and Douville, a tribal employee, embezzled approximately $160,000 belonging to the Crow Creek Sioux Tribe.
According to Loudner’s and Douville’s admissions in court, on May 3, 2022, Loudner was elected to the CCST Tribal Council. Following his election, he and Douville established three different checking accounts. Between May 27, 2022, just weeks after his election, and July 2, 2024, nearly 100 checks were drawn out of government checking accounts that were made payable to Loudner, to Douville, to both defendants, or to cash. Each defendant signed many of these checks, and they embezzled funds totaling $160,000.
“Make no mistake about it,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Stealing from the government, including tribal governments, will land you in prison.”
This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Loudner and Douville will report to the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving their federal sentences in July 2026.
Parmelee Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on July 6, 2026.
Jonathan Sierra, age 22, was sentenced to time served through August 7, 2026, equal to approximately ten months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sierra was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026. He pleaded guilty on April 1, 2026.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in July 2025, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On the date of the event, a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Officer was speaking to Sierra’s ex-girlfriend at her residence in Mission, South Dakota. Sierra drove up to the house, and the officer asked Sierra to get out of his vehicle. Sierra exited the vehicle with a knife in his hand. The officer repeatedly commanded Sierra to put the knife down. Eventually, Sierra threw the knife into the street. When the officer tried to detain Sierra, Sierra began to struggle and kicked the officer. Sierra also kicked an assisting officer during the struggle.
This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Sierra was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on July 13, 2026.
Fred Leading Cloud, age 68, was sentenced to 2 years and 4 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.
Leading Cloud was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 20, 2026.
On May 22, 2025, Leading Cloud got into an altercation with the victim in Mission, South Dakota, within the exterior boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. During the altercation, Leading Cloud pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in the neck.
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 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Leading Cloud was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Stockton, California Man Found Guilty after Federal Jury Trial of Conspiring to Distribute Huge Quantities of Methamphetamine in South DakotaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted John Odom Harris, Jr., age 41, of Stockton, California of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine following a 4-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on July 10, 2026.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a $10 million dollar fine and at least five years up to life supervised release.
Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
Harris was responsible for distributing over 100 pounds of methamphetamine to a co-conspirator who then distributed the methamphetamine to others in South Dakota from early 2023 to early 2024. Harris sent methamphetamine to South Dakota through the mail. He also provided it to his co-conspirator in California, who then transported the drugs to South Dakota in cars and on trains. Four other conspirators from the same drug trafficking organization have been convicted in federal court to date. Harris’s co-conspirator, Marquez McGee, was caught in possession of 42 pounds of methamphetamine in January 2024. After pleading guilty, McGee was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison in December of that year.
“Methamphetamine dealers seeking to distribute their poisonous product would be wise to cross off South Dakota from their list,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
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.
A presentence investigation was ordered. Sentencing will be set for a later date. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Nebraska Woman Sentenced to more than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rushville, Nebraska, woman convicted of four counts of Wire Fraud and three counts of Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on June 29, 2026.
Buffy Redfish, age 57, was sentenced to 6 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,744,415.36 in restitution.
From May 2006 to November 2024, Redfish worked for the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s (OST) Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO), which enforces the tribal requirement that all employers engaged in business on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation give preference to qualified Native Americans in employment, contracting, and other business or economic development activities. One of Redfish’s duties was to collect TERO fee checks from contractors and transfer them to OST’s revenue department for deposit into the tribe’s general fund. Between November 2017 and May 2024, Redfish and a co-defendant, working together, developed a scheme to defraud OST by diverting TERO fee checks totaling more than $4.7 million belonging to the tribe and depositing the checks into the co-defendant’s bank account. The two then split the embezzled funds between themselves and used the funds for their own personal benefit, including purchasing homes and vehicles. Redfish is a member of the Gila Tribe in Arizona.
“This Administration has made prosecution of government fraud a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “This substantial prison sentence for stealing millions of dollars from the Oglala Sioux Tribe is another step forward by our office in fulfilling that directive.”
“Together with her co-defendant, Buffy Redfish stole $4.7 million from an Oglala Sioux Tribe program and out of the hands of the people of the Pine Ridge Reservation," said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. "The FBI will take every necessary investigative step to stop fraud and ensure the integrity of public programs. Those entrusted with public and tribal funds must uphold that trust or they face significant prison sentences."
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Redfish was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Arizona Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal jury has convicted John Stanford Roth, age 58, of Glendale, Arizona, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Fentanyl following a three-day trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on July 8, 2026.
The two conspiracy charges each carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a $10 million dollar fine and at least five years up to life supervised release.
Roth was indicted by a federal grand jury in October of 2025.
Evidence at trial showed Roth worked with others as part of the drug trafficking organization headed by Matthew Shade to distribute cartel-sourced fentanyl and methamphetamine from Arizona to Sioux Falls and the surrounding area. Roth provided the drugs and other members of the conspiracy transported and sold them. The evidence revealed more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine was delivered to Sioux Falls for sale within approximately 8 months in 2024 and early 2025.
The organization’s leader, Matthew Shade of Tea, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and was sentenced in early May of this year to serve more than 21 years in federal prison. To date, thirteen defendants have been indicted in connection with the Shade organization. Roth is the tenth defendant to have been convicted; three more indicted defendants are awaiting trial.
“The dominoes are crashing down for the members of this crooked drug trafficking organization,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “This unanimous guilty verdict rendered by the jury, after carefully reviewing all the evidence, has tipped the scales toward justice even more.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Investigations Service and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Connie Larson and Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Roth’s sentencing is set for September 28, 2026. Following the guilty verdict, he was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Yankton Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Yankton, South Dakota man convicted of two counts of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on July 6, 2026.
Robert Barbetti, age 34, was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison, 8 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200. Once released from federal prison, Barbetti must register as a sex offender.
Barbetti was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. He pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from an investigation into several cyber tips which led to the discovery that between 2018 and 2023, Barbetti had been using various online social media platforms, including SnapChat and Wink, to target minor children and coerce them into producing child sexual exploitation materials at Barbetti’s direction and for his sexual gratification.
Barbetti’s criminal conduct included coercing a juvenile male living in Texas to perform sexual acts on his own prepubescent brother, record the sexual acts, and send them to Barbetti over the internet. Barbetti’s criminal conduct also included persuading a minor female living in Virginia to produce videos of herself naked from the waist down while committing indecent acts.
“This Administration has no higher priority than protecting innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
This case was investigated by the FBI, DCI, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb 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.
Barbetti was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on July 6, 2026.
James Murphy, 34, was sentenced to one year and three 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.
Murphy was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026.
Murphy was convicted of a federal sex offense in 2014 for soliciting a 13-year-old girl off Backpage for sex in exchange for money. At the time, Murphy was 21 years old. Because of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Murphy was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current. Nonetheless, from early November 2023 through December 2024, Murphy knowingly failed to register and update his registration despite being instructed by law enforcement to do so.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Murphy was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 26, 2026.
Rudolph Bissonette, 34, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bissonette was indicted for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 15, 2026.
On October 15, 2025, law enforcement observed a vehicle committing a traffic violation. Bissonette was the driver. He had been drinking alcohol and had a blood alcohol content of .266%. Bissonette informed law enforcement there was a pistol in the vehicle. Law enforcement also found a round of ammunition in Bissonette’s front-right pants pocket. Bissonette is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to prior convictions punishable beyond a year in prison. It is a federal felony to possess firearms or ammunition after a felony conviction.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Bissonette is to self-surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service at a date and time ordered by the Court.
Rapid City Man Convicted by Federal Jury of Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Avery Hawk Wing, age 35, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on July 2, 2026.
The maximum penalty is 15 years in prison 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.
Hawk Wing was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024.
Evidence at trial showed Hawk Wing handled a rifle that was in a tote bag that belonged to him. Hawk Wing told law enforcement that he touched the firearm when going through his tote bag. Unsurprisingly, forensic examination revealed Hawk Wing’s DNA on several locations of the firearm, consistent with him handling the firearm. Hawk Wing was previously convicted of a crime punishable beyond a year in prison and, as a result, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date will be set for a later date. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man and Woman Sentenced for LarcenyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man and woman, both from Mission, South Dakota, following their convictions for Larceny.
Amelia Bordeaux age 20, pleaded guilty on April 1, 2026. On June 29, 2026, she was sentenced to time served, equal to approximately four months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Andrew Whiting, age 20, pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026. On April 21, 2026, he was sentenced to time served, equal to approximately eight months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $1,000 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bordeaux and Whiting were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025.
The convictions stem from an incident that occurred on February 18, 2025, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that date, Whiting and Bordeaux stole a pickup truck that was parked at a residence in Mission. They subsequently got the vehicle stuck in a rural area south of Mission and abandoned it. The vehicle was recovered by law enforcement the following day.
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 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Bordeaux and Whiting were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of their individual sentencing hearings.
Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Mission, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on July 6, 2026.
Jaret Wooden Knife, age 28, was sentenced to one year and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wooden Knife was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 9, 2026.
Wooden Knife was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in U.S. District Court in 2022. Consequently, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment or student status. In July 2025, Wooden Knife began a period of supervised release residing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and he appropriately updated his sex offender registration. Wooden Knife thereafter relocated from his registered address and updated his sex offender registration to reflect a different residence in Sioux Falls, but he never resided at the new address. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued, and on September 12, 2025, Wooden Knife was arrested in Sioux Falls.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s 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. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Wooden Knife was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Bureau of Indian Affairs Police Officer with His VehicleRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons, announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Lower Brule, South Dakota man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on July 6, 2026.
Cody Crazy Bull, age 35, was sentenced to seven years and three 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.
Crazy Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 9, 2026.
This conviction stems from an incident that occurred on May 12, 2025, in Lower Brule, South Dakota. Federal officers with the Bureau of Indian Affairs observed Crazy Bull in the driver’s seat of a vehicle in a parking lot. Aware that Crazy Bull had an active tribal arrest warrant, the officers attempted to place him under arrest. As an officer was standing in an open door of the vehicle, Crazy Bull put the vehicle in reverse and backed up quickly, striking the officer with the vehicle door. The officer then jumped into the moving vehicle to avoid being run over and gave repeated commands for Crazy Bull to stop the vehicle. Crazy Bull eventually stopped the vehicle and fled on foot until he was apprehended a short time later hiding in a mechanical closet of a nearby building.
“The reckless and intentional actions of this fugitive from the law might well have killed this heroic federal officer acting in the line of duty,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Thank goodness the police lieutenant is safe. Our office backs the blue, and we will do everything we can to put anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer behind bars where they belong.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services-Lower Brule Agency and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Crazy Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kyle Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a Felon on the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 29, 2026.
Marcel Boyd, 40, was sentenced to two years and six 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.
Boyd was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026.
On July 10, 2024, law enforcement responded to a report of gunshots fired in Kyle, South Dakota. Boyd pointed a pistol at others and shot it off in the air. Boyd then ran into the home of someone he knew. Law enforcement officers observed a small child’s hand wave for help from inside. They entered the home and safely secured Boyd. Underneath the mattress where Boyd was found, officers located the pistol. Boyd had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and, accordingly, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Boyd was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Tribal Police Officers within the Cheyenne River ReservationRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Judge Eric Schulte, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on June 30, 2026.
Brian Bear Heels, age 41, was sentenced to five years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bear Heels was indicted in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 11, 2026.
On April 15, 2025, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation, Bear Heals fled from several tribal law enforcement officers and intentionally used his vehicle to hit three separate law enforcement vehicles multiple times, causing significant damage to all three vehicles.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Bear Heels was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Omaha, Nebraska Man Sentenced to over 22 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Sioux FallsRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced an Omaha, Nebraska, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 29, 2026.
Anthony Robinson, 37, was sentenced to 22 years and five 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.
Robinson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026.
The investigation in this matter revealed that Robinson trafficked methamphetamine from Omaha to Sioux Falls. He was a source of supply for multiple other co-conspirators who re-distributed the methamphetamine in the Sioux Falls area. Throughout the conspiracy, investigators seized approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine associated with Robinson. Investigators believe Robinson was responsible for trafficking approximately 40 pounds of methamphetamine during his involvement in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Robinson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sturgis Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Sturgis, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on June 29, 2026.
Luke Basche, 21, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $48,570 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
Basche was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026.
Between December 2022, and January 2025, Basche used Mega, an internet-based chat application to search for, download, and view sexually explicit visual depiction of child pornography to his cellular phone. After Basche received and downloaded child pornography to his Apple iPhone, he stored many of the depictions in his Dropbox and Google accounts, which are cloud-based internet storage services. Investigators found over 2,500 images and 445 videos of child pornography on his phone. Basche also stored child pornography on computers and a hard drive. The victims depicted in child pornography he received included infants and toddlers.
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 South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Basche was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 1 Year in Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Harold White Hat, age 42, was sentenced to 16 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.
White Hat was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026.
White Hat was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in United States District Court, District of South Dakota, in May 2022. As a result of his conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and regularly update his registration. In September 2025, White Hat updated his sex offender registration to reflect that he was residing at a residence in Sioux Falls. Later, however, White Hat left that residence and did not update his registration. An arrest warrant was issued, and on November 17, 2025, White Hat was arrested in Sioux Falls.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit 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 United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
White Hat was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced to One Year and One Day in Federal Prison Following Conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on June 26, 2026.
A’Aliyah LeClaire, 30, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
LeClaire was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in March 2025. She pleaded guilty on April 17, 2026.
LeClaire was involved with moving money generated from a cocaine conspiracy that spanned from Texas to Rapid City. A source in Texas supplied cocaine through the mail to an individual in Rapid City. LeClaire assisted that individual with moving the money by helping make deposits and by allowing her accounts to be utilized to transfer the money to help hide the nature and ownership of the money.
“Whether you’re moving the drugs or moving the drug money, you can expect to hear from us sooner or later,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
“It doesn’t matter how big or small a person’s role is when it comes to assisting drug traffickers, IRS-CI will be relentless in pursuing those who bring drugs into our communities. Our special agents will follow the money to a criminal’s door,” said IRS-CI St. Louis Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “Every prison sentence is a result of the incredible coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement and it’s a victory for the people of South Dakota.”
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and Division of Criminal Investigation. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
LeClaire has been ordered to self-surrender.Rapid City Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for His Role in a Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Lucius Muldrow, 40, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Muldrow was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.
Between November 2021 and September 2025, Muldrow was part of a conspiracy to distribute at least 200 grams of methamphetamine in Western South Dakota. Muldrow routinely received methamphetamine from co-conspirators within the community and sold it from his home and other areas throughout the community.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Muldrow was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the InternetRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Elmer Hopper, 37, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
Hopper was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.
During the 2025 Sturgis Bike Rally, Hopper initiated communications on the internet-based application Plenty Of Fish with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl. The girl, in fact, was a Rapid City Police Detective operating in an undercover capacity on Plenty Of Fish, an app used for dating and sexual encounters. Hopper and the undercover persona started communicating through texting. Hopper told her that he wanted someone to lay in bed with him. Later, Hopper explained that he meant that he wanted someone to have sex with, not lay in bed with. Hopper and the undercover persona agreed to meet at West Middle School in Rapid City. When Hopper arrived at the school, he was arrested.
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 South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Hopper was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Woman Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Setting Fire to a Home Killing Two OccupantsRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Second Degree Murder. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Jimi Jo Collins, age 27, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Collins was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025. She pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred in March of 2025, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. On March 2, 2025, Collins set fire to a residence in Eagle Butte that was occupied by multiple people. Several people escaped from the residence, but two victims were unable to get out and died in the fire.
“This woman is an arsonist and a murderer,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “She intentionally set fire to a mobile home, with people asleep inside, because she thought someone had broken her car window. The result of that malevolent act is that two people were burned alive. The horror and tragic pointlessness of it all is unimaginable.”
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, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Collins was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Hot Springs Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Hot Springs, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Cecle Crist, 53, was sentenced to seven 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.
Crist was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in November 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026.
In November 2025, several officers with the Fall River County Sheriff’s Office and the Hot Springs Police Department attempted to arrest Crist on a federal arrest warrant pertaining to another firearm charge. When the officers entered the camper Crist lived in, he hid in a closet, threatened to kill law enforcement, and said he had a gun. The officers exited the camper and called in the Rapid City Special Response Team (SRT). After SRT fired several rounds of OC powder into the camper, Crist exited the camper and was placed under arrest. Officers thereafter located in the camper three loaded rifles, a pellet gun, and several rounds of ammunition, which Crist knew were in his possession. Crist is a previously convicted felon who knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the Fall River County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hot Springs Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Crist was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Warren Allen McBride, 33, was sentenced to four years and nine 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.
McBride was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.
According to court records, on April 23, 2025, McBride possessed a short-barreled shotgun, even though he knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearms as a result of prior felony convictions. The shotgun had a barrel length of less than 18 inches, and it was unregistered in the National Firearms Registry. McBride possessed the short-barreled shotgun in a residence where others had direct access to it, and it was seized during the execution of a search warrant at his residence.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
McBride was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rosebud Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a “Sawed-Off” ShotgunRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Theodore Running Bear III, age 29, was sentenced to one year and six 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.
Running Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from conduct that occurred in June 2025 within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On June 11, 2025, Running Bear was arrested by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement in connection with an alleged assault that occurred earlier that month. At the time of his arrest, Running Bear was in possession of a short (“sawed-off”) shotgun. The short shotgun was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Running Bear will forfeit ownership of the firearm to the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Running Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Manderson Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Gene Kaline, 33, was sentenced to six years and three 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.
Kaline was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in January 2026. He pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026.
In the Fall of 2025, Kaline led local police officers on several dangerous, high-speed chases while eluding them in a stolen vehicle. On one date, he was speeding into oncoming traffic in the course of which he nearly ran over a deputy sheriff attempting to deploy traffic spikes to disable the car Kaline was driving. Kaline was not caught. Days later, Kaline again led officers on a dangerous, high-speed chase without, initially, being caught. Later the same day, he was again involved in a pursuit during which he collided with a police car. Fortunately, no one was injured by the defendant’s flagrant actions and the defendant was apprehended. In the stolen car Kaline was driving, officers found a stolen 9mm handgun. Kaline has a 2019 felony conviction for Violation of a Protection Order.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Box Elder Police Department, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Kaline was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kyle Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault on a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Robert Wayne Old Horse, 58, was sentenced to serve two 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.
Old Horse was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026.
On April 5, 2025, at Pine Ridge, Old Horse was arrested by tribal law enforcement. While inside the correctional facility, he became combative with the corrections officers and refused to enter his cell. At one point, Old Horse laid on the ground and while a female corrections officer was attempting to get him up, Old Horse kicked her in the abdomen with his foot. The officer was eight months pregnant at the time.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Petersen and Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Old Horse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Fresno, California Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Fresno, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.
Alonso Molina-Corona, 43, was sentenced to four years and two 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.
Molina-Corona was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026.
The charges stem from a vehicle stop made by a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper of a vehicle driven by Molina-Corona on I-90 in August 2025. Inside the defendant’s vehicle, officers discovered over 92 kilos (approximately 200 lbs.) of methamphetamine. The defendant was found to have been transporting the drugs from the west coast for distribution in the Midwest as part of a conspiracy of which he was part. Ultimately, law enforcement authorities deemed Molina-Corona a courier of the drugs.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Molina-Corona was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Federal Prosecutors Dismantle Four Major Drug Trafficking Organizations Flooding South Dakota with Methamphetamine and FentanylRead the Press Release
“Behind every ounce of methamphetamine and every fentanyl pill in these cases is a South Dakota family that has suffered and felt the damage. That is who this work is for. We have proven that no link in the chain is beyond our reach—not the local dealer, not the out-of-state supplier, and not the cartel hiding in the shadows behind them. Working with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, we will keep following that chain, defendant by defendant and case by case, until our communities are no longer a market these traffickers believe they can exploit.”
— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced the results of four landmark federal prosecutions in the past year that have systematically dismantled major drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) connected to the Mexican cartels responsible for flooding South Dakota communities with methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other deadly narcotics. Through coordinated, long-term investigations involving federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota has secured federal convictions against 54 members of these four organizations, with eight cases still pending and one case dismissed due to the defendant’s death, and has obtained substantial federal prison sentences—including multiple sentences exceeding 20 and 30 years—against their leaders, lieutenants, suppliers, and sub-distributors in the past year alone.
Conservatively estimated, these four DTOs together trafficked more than 1,000 pounds—over half a ton—of methamphetamine and multiple kilograms of fentanyl pills and powder into South Dakota over the course of recent years. The defendants ranged from out-of-state suppliers connected to Mexican cartels to local distributors operating from short-term rental properties, hotels, and private residences across Sioux Falls, Rapid City, the Pine Ridge Reservation, and surrounding communities.
As the capstone of those efforts, U.S. Attorney Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Las Vegas, Nevada, man convicted by a federal jury of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, as well as an additional three of his subordinates for similar drug-related crimes.
On June 24, 2026, Quantiae Harris, 49, was sentenced to 33 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He was found guilty by a federal jury following a four-day trial on March 27, 2026. Harris was the leader of a California and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to the Sioux Falls area. More than anyone else, Harris was responsible for the introduction and distribution of fentanyl powder — the most potent, deadly and destructive form of that illicit substance — into the Sioux Falls illegal drug market. At his sentencing, Judge Schreier noted that the drug quantity involved in the prosecution of the Quantiae Harris drug trafficking organization was one of the highest she had seen in more than 25 years on the federal bench.
"The actions of Quantiae Harris and his associates made detrimental and lasting impacts on communities across South Dakota. Fentanyl and methamphetamine carry potentially lethal consequences, and some families may never recover from the poisons Harris knowingly brought into the state and sold. Today’s sentencing sends a strong message to drug traffickers looking to make their mark in our state. DEA, alongside state, local, tribal and fellow federal partners will work non-stop to bring individuals peddling these illicit drugs to justice.”
— Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie
Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Field Division“This is an amazing win for the people of South Dakota. The damage Harris and his associates have done to communities by introducing fentanyl powder to Sioux Falls is immeasurable. IRS-CI special agents are committed to working alongside our federal law enforcement partners to trace the money trails that lead to the disruption of dangerous drug trafficking organizations such as this.”
— Special Agent in Charge William Steenson
IRS-Criminal InvestigationThree additional sentences for members of the Quantiae Harris DTO were also announced by U.S. Attorney Parsons today:
On June 15, 2026, Faily Chavez, 31, from California City, California, was sentenced by Judge Schreier to 24 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Chavez was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2024. She pleaded guilty on March 24, 2026.
On June 22, 2026, Kyle Schryvers, 33, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange to 16 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty on March 17, 2026.
Also on June 22, 2026, Nicole Kritz, 48, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced by Chief Judge Lange to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.
Chavez, Schryvers, and Kritz were all members of the Quantiae Harris DTO.
These sentences are the latest results from the systematic takedown of four major drug trafficking operations in South Dakota over the past year:
- Quantiae Harris DTO
- Juan Sertuche DTO
Matthew Shade DTO - Darrel Devorce DTO
By the Numbers
Combined results across just these four discrete prosecutions:- Total defendants charged or convicted federally: 63 charged, 54 convictions to date
- Methamphetamine trafficked (combined estimates): More than 1,000 pounds
- Fentanyl pills trafficked (combined estimates): Tens of thousands
- Fentanyl powder: Multiple kilograms
- Money laundering proceeds traced: Several million dollars
- Federal prison sentences to date: More than 660 years
Federal jury trials: Three to date (Quantiae Harris, Juan Sertuche, and Gregory Henderson convicted at trial)
Importantly, the prosecutions of the four drug trafficking organizations detailed in this report represent only a portion of the drug trafficking convictions and sentences secured by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota over the past year.QUANTIAE HARRIS DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
26-Defendant California- and Nevada-Based Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Conspiracy
Overview of the Organization
From late 2023 through September 2024, a California- and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization led by Quantiae Harris, age 49, of Las Vegas, Nevada, transported large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to South Dakota for distribution in the Sioux Falls area. The organization is the first known to have introduced powder fentanyl to the Sioux Falls drug market—a development of grave public health and public safety concern given fentanyl’s extreme lethality even in microscopic amounts.
The organization initially shipped drugs through the U.S. Mail to addresses in Sioux Falls, where members would collect packages and distribute the contents to local sub-distributors. Operations were originally conducted out of local hotels, but eventually transitioned to short-term rental properties, including Airbnbs. Once the U.S. Postal Inspection Service began intercepting their packages, the organization shifted methods, using rental vehicles equipped with hidden compartments to drive narcotics from California to Sioux Falls.
Customers contacted members for brief meetups at public locations to purchase drugs, with payments made in cash or through electronic payment platforms such as Cash App. Bulk cash proceeds were transported back to California in rental vehicles, while large amounts of currency were also deposited in local banks into accounts belonging to Quantiae Harris. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation linked Harris to over $1.2 million in money laundering transactions related to the organization.
Scope of Trafficking (Conservative Estimates)
- More than 100 pounds of methamphetamine
- Tens of thousands of fentanyl pills (estimated 50,000)
- Approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl powder
- More than $1.2 million in money laundering transactions linked to the DTO leader
Indictments and Prosecutions
Four rounds of federal indictments charged a total of 26 defendants in connection with the Harris organization. Convictions for 22 of the 26 defendants have been secured so far. Harris, the DTO leader, was convicted following a four-day federal jury trial in Sioux Falls, returning a guilty verdict on every count on March 27, 2026. Currently, four remaining defendants are scheduled for trials. Regarding those four defendants, as with any pending criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Federal Defendants
DefendantRoleStatusSentenceQuantiae Harris
Las Vegas, NV
Leader of the DTOConvicted at trial on 3/27/26; sentenced on 6/24/26400 months (33 years)Stephonn Walton
Las Vegas, NV
Alleged co-conspiratorPleaded not guilty; pending trial—Dejuan Croom
Los Angeles, CA
Third in command; managerial rolePleaded guilty; sentenced on 4/6/26280 months (over 23 years)Alonzo Green
California City, CA
Fourth in commandPleaded guilty; sentenced on 1/5/26240 months (20 years)Faily Chavez
California City, CA
California-based source of supplyPleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/15/26292 months (over 24 years)Hailey Schneiderman
Sioux Falls, SD
Major local sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/4/25192 months (16 years)Amanda Acosta
Prairie Village, KS
Major sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 9/29/25240 months (20 years)Alysia Peneaux
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 4/13/26120 months (10 years)Rodney Rohrbach Jr.
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty on 4/6/26Sentencing on 6/29/26Rodney Rohrbach Sr.
Chamberlain, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 1/26/2670 months (over 5 years)Isaiah Croom
Los Angeles, CA
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 3/16/2630 months (over 2 years)Brett Berglund
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/17/25135 months (over 11 years)Brandy Christman
Aberdeen, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 9/29/256 monthsHeather Downey
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/25/25120 months (10 years)Alexis Mertens
Slayton, MN
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 9/22/2592 months (over 7 years)Ashley Mortimer
Lennox, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 1/16/2692 months (over 7 years)Kenneth Johnson
Los Angeles, CA
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/24/25159 months (over 13 years)Jeffrey Skannal
Las Vegas, NV
DistributorPleaded guilty on 6/11/26Sentencing on 8/31/26Jordon Harris
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/17/2587 months (over 7 years)Morgan Mentele
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 4/20/2630 monthsKyle Heinemann
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/8/26120 months (10 years)Kyle Schryvers
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/22/26192 months (16 years)Nicole Kritz
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/22/2670 months (over 5 years)Jordan Reese
Sioux Falls, SD
Alleged co-conspiratorPleaded not guilty; pending trial—Allen Shropshire
Sioux Falls, SD
Alleged co-conspiratorPleaded not guilty; pending trial—Joshua Weisser
Sioux Falls, SD
Alleged co-conspiratorPleaded not guilty; pending trial—“This was a major bust of a significant figure in the lurid underworld of illegal drugs. The Trump Administration has designated fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality in extremely small amounts. In its pure powder form, it truly is a chemical weapon. If a member of your family used fentanyl in Sioux Falls over the past few years, this defendant is one of the primary drug dealers likely to have brought it here.”
— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Harris jury verdict)
Investigating Agencies
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF); Sioux Falls Police Department; South Dakota Highway Patrol; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Each of these cases has been prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen handled the investigatory stage of some of the prosecutions.
- JUAN SERTUCHE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
Two-Decade Cartel-Sourced Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Pipeline into Western South Dakota Shut Down
Overview of the Organization
Juan Sertuche, age 43, of Denver, Colorado, led a drug distribution conspiracy spanning more than two decades from approximately 2002 through September 2023. Sertuche was sourced by a Mexican cartel and brought between 30 and 50 pounds of methamphetamine into South Dakota every other week, providing hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to multiple sub-distributors for further distribution in the Rapid City area and the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Investigators linked Sertuche to a traffic stop that uncovered 19 pounds of methamphetamine intended for distribution in western South Dakota. He was arrested in September 2023 after another traffic stop in Jackson County, where officers found approximately 1,500 fentanyl pills. Even after his arrest, Sertuche continued coordinating drug deals from custody and directed others to collect firearms to trade for drugs. Law enforcement recovered several weapons, including two fully automatic machine guns, before they could be exchanged.
Scope of Trafficking
- Hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine over the duration of the conspiracy
- Tens of thousands of fentanyl pills
- Source of supply traced to Mexican cartel
- Continued drug coordination and firearms trafficking after arrest
Indictments and Prosecutions
The investigation produced parallel federal and state prosecutions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the top tier of the organization, resulting in 10 convictions and federal prison sentences, while additional DTO members were prosecuted in state court.
Federal Defendants
DefendantRoleStatusSentenceJuan Sertuche
Denver, CO
Leader of the DTO; cartel-sourced supplierConvicted at trial on 1/8/26; sentenced on 5/22/26540 months (45 years)Veronica Ortega
Box Elder, SD
Main local distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 7/11/25292 months (over 24 years)Shauntel Shangreaux
Pine Ridge, SD
Key lieutenantPleaded guilty; sentenced on 4/6/26230 months (over 19 years)Paige Sierra
Rapid City, SD
Distributor; transportation assistancePleaded guilty; sentenced on 7/11/25140 months (over 11 years)Jackie Corean
Black Hawk, SD
Distribution hub host, sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 9/2/25135 months (over 11 years)Jenna Lee Holzer
Box Elder, SD
Major sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 10/28/25360 months (30 years)Darin Wherley
Black Hawk, SD
Major sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/1/24320 months (over 26 years)Monique Merrival
Greeley, CO
Major sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 10/11/24224 months (over 18 years)Shelina Martinez
Denver, CO
Sub-distributor, courierPleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/8/25 60 months (5 years)Daniel Sandoval
Denver, CO
Sub-distributor, courierIndictment dismissed when defendant died—“We may never know the true depths of the devastation, suffering, and loss inflicted on our communities by the methamphetamine, fentanyl, and automatic weapons trafficked and sold by this defendant. But we will do our best to hold this profiteer of misery fully accountable and ensure he receives a federal prison sentence that will put him out of that business for a long time.”
— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Sertuche conviction at trial)
Investigating Agencies
South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI); Pennington County Sheriff’s Office; Rapid City Police Department; South Dakota Highway Patrol; Wyoming State Highway Patrol; North Metro Denver Drug Task Force; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS); and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen, Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges.
- MATTHEW SHADE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
Arizona-Sourced Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Operation Trafficking 200 Pounds into Sioux Falls Area Dismantled
Overview of the Organization
Matthew Shade, age 34, of Tea, South Dakota, served as the local leader of a drug trafficking organization that obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources in Mexico who then arranged for the drugs to cross the border and be delivered to co-conspirators in Arizona for distribution throughout the Sioux Falls area. The organization received drugs both through the U.S. Mail and through cross-country car deliveries by a supplier traveling from Arizona to South Dakota.
In December 2024, investigators seized a package containing over four pounds of methamphetamine. Postal Inspectors, working with the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, also seized two parcels sent from Sioux Falls to Arizona that contained over $26,000 in cash, as well as a separate package bound for Sioux Falls containing 144 grams of fentanyl powder. After identifying that Shade’s supplier was traveling by car to South Dakota, investigators arranged for the South Dakota Highway Patrol to conduct a traffic stop during which a trooper located approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine and over 2,000 fentanyl pills concealed in the vehicle. At Shade’s residence in Tea, investigators found 80 grams of methamphetamine, 22 fentanyl pills, and other narcotics.
Scope of Trafficking
- Approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine trafficked to the Sioux Falls area
- Significant quantities of fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder
- Multiple seizures of bulk cash being routed back to Arizona suppliers
Indictments and Prosecutions
To date, 13 defendants have been indicted in connection with the Shade organization, including Matthew Shade himself, nine South Dakota members operating beneath him, and two Arizona-based defendants representing the supply chain. Nine defendants have been convicted, with two of those defendants still awaiting sentencing; four additional defendants have pending trial dates. Regarding those four defendants, as with any pending criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Federal Defendants
DefendantRoleStatusSentenceMatthew Shade
Tea, SD
Local leader of the DTOPleaded guilty; sentenced on 5/4/26260 months (over 21 years)Sean David Blanchfill
Tea, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 3/2/26202 months (over 16 years)Damian Roy Webster
Glendale, AZ
Distributor, coordinator of shipments from ArizonaPleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/18/25168 months (14 years)Alex Geoffrey Lang
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 12/1/25160 months (over 13 years)Carey Adam Ludens
Crooks, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 5/18/26160 months (over 13 years)Robert Duane Kent, Jr.
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 5/18/2692 months (over 7 years)Michael Lee Terveen
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 10/27/2560 months (5 years)Kourtney Leigh Lang
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty on 3/2/26Sentencing on 7/6/26Lorenzo Portillo
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty on 5/5/26Sentencing on 8/24/26John Stanford Roth
Phoenix, AZ
Alleged co-conspiratorPleaded not guilty; pending trial—Julia Diane Pewo
Sioux Falls, SD
Alleged co-conspiratorPleaded not guilty; pending trial—Cory Wayne Nohava
Sioux Falls, SD
Alleged co-conspiratorPleaded not guilty; pending trial—Ryan Richard Tulio
Tea, SD
Alleged co-conspiratorPleaded not guilty; pending trial—“This was another skillfully managed takedown of a serial drug dealer and his operation by the dedicated officers on the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, with a strong assist from the Criminal Investigations Unit of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. In all likelihood, the fentanyl and methamphetamine seized from this criminal’s operation would have killed some people who are alive right now in Sioux Falls. This investigation, prosecution, and substantial federal prison sentence has given them another chance at life. I will never stop being grateful for that.”
— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Shade sentencing)
Investigating Agencies
Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF); Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office; South Dakota Highway Patrol; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges, Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce.
- DARREL DEVORCE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
Five-Year California-to-South Dakota Methamphetamine Pipeline Dismantled
Overview of the Organization
Darrel Devorce, age 57, of San Jacinto, California, ran a large methamphetamine trafficking organization for approximately five years, sourcing methamphetamine from California to co-conspirators in Sioux Falls beginning around 2018 and continuing into 2023. Devorce arranged for methamphetamine from California to be delivered to co-conspirators in South Dakota using various couriers and directed others to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds using Cash App, Western Union, and Zelle. The money transfers were designed to conceal both the source of the proceeds and Devorce’s involvement in the conspiracy.
Scope of Trafficking
- Approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine trafficked into South Dakota
- Over $700,000 laundered through the organization
- Five-year operational period (approximately 2018–2023)
Indictments and Prosecutions
The Devorce investigation has resulted in convictions and sentences of 14 defendants in federal court.
Federal Defendants
DefendantRoleStatusSentenceDarrel Devorce
San Jacinto, CA
Leader of the DTOPleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/3/25400 months (33 years)Maurice Logan
Corona, CA
Distributor and transporterPleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/9/25132 months (11 years)Katrina Marie Green
Sioux Falls, SD
Main local distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 12/18/23128 months (over 10 years)Janet Denise Mallet
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on11/27/23120 months (10 years)Frank Cortez Baker
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/2/25132 months (11 years)Tara Dionne Clayton
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 2/12/24132 months (11 years)Amber Louise Justus
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 7/29/24168 months (14 years)Gregory Henderson
Sioux Falls, SD
Money laundererConvicted at trial on 12/4/25; sentenced on 3/16/2660 months (5 years)Billy Dickinson
Sioux Falls, SD
Sub-distributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 5/15/2334 months (over 2 years)Gregory Lamar Bell
Sioux Falls, SD
Unlawful drug user in possession of firearmPleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/19/2457 months (over 4 years)Kurtis Duke
Sioux Falls, SD
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/12/2358 months (over 5 years)Julia Precious Ballansaw
Decatur, GA
DistributorPleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/3/2470 months (over five years)Destiny Canty
Riverside, CA
Money laundererPleaded guilty; sentenced on 2/9/2634 months (over 2 years)Nicole Dorrough
San Jacinto, CA
Money laundererPleaded guilty; sentenced on 1/26/2634 months (over two years)“Devorce is a longtime meth dealer responsible for shipping that poison into South Dakota since at least 2018. He will now be separated from the rest of society for most of the rest of his life.”
— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Devorce sentencing)
Investigating Agencies
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF); South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).
These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb.
Why This Matters
These four organizations represent fundamentally different models of drug trafficking: a long-running, cartel-sourced pipeline from Mexico through Colorado (Sertuche); a multi-year California-to-South Dakota methamphetamine operation (Devorce); a sophisticated, multi-method California- and Nevada-based operation that introduced powder fentanyl to Sioux Falls (Harris); and an Arizona-sourced operation moving narcotics into the Sioux Falls suburbs (Shade). Together they illustrate how out-of-state suppliers, usually with cartel ties, continue to target South Dakota communities, and how federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners are responding.
Fentanyl in particular poses a grave and growing threat. The Harris organization was the first known to introduce powder fentanyl to the Sioux Falls market, a substance lethal in microscopic amounts. The dismantling of these organizations and the substantial federal prison sentences obtained have meaningfully disrupted the flow of these drugs into South Dakota and saved lives.
These results, however, mark the beginning of a sustained effort, not the end of it. Additional defendants in these four prosecutions remain pending trial or pending sentencing. New investigations and new indictments are ongoing, and the work done in taking down these four drug trafficking organizations reflects only a portion of the total felony drug convictions secured by this office over the past year. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota intends to continue its aggressive use of federal prosecution against any drug trafficking organization that targets South Dakota communities, and to do so until the supply networks reaching into this State have been dismantled.
A Coordinated, Multi-Agency Effort
These prosecutions were the product of sophisticated, long-term investigations conducted by federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, many of which collaborate through long-standing drug task forces operating throughout South Dakota. The cases reflect the strength of the multi-agency model in which federal and state investigators, prosecutors, postal inspectors, financial crimes specialists, state troopers, tribal law enforcement, and local police and sheriff’s offices each contributed to building cases capable of holding the highest-level traffickers accountable.
Task Forces and Agencies Involved Across the Four Prosecutions
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
- Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- Bureau of Indian Affairs-Division of Drug Enforcement (BIA-DDE)
- South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI)
- South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP)
- Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF)
- Sioux Falls Police Department
- Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office
- Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET)
- Pennington County Sheriff’s Office
- Rapid City Police Department
- Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS)
- North Metro Denver Drug Task Force
- Wyoming State Highway Patrol
Part of a National Strategy: South Dakota and the Nationwide Effort to Eradicate Cartels and Drug Trafficking
These four DTO takedowns are not isolated victories. They are part of the most comprehensive, whole-of-government campaign to dismantle drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations in modern American history. Beginning on his first day back in office, President Trump set in motion a sweeping series of executive actions, designations, task force structures, and policy directives intended to do what no prior administration has attempted at this scale: achieve the total elimination of the cartels and the eradication of illegal drug trafficking on American soil. To accomplish this directive, the United States government is utilizing every tool at its disposal: law enforcement, addiction treatment and counseling, border security, trade, the banking system, international diplomacy, and, where authorized, military action.
South Dakota’s prosecutions of the Harris, Devorce, Sertuche, and Shade organizations are an integral part of that national strategy. Each of these cases reaches back, ultimately, to out-of-state and often cartel-connected sources of supply. Each illustrates how the national framework set in Washington translates into convictions, prison sentences, and lives saved in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, the communities of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and across all of South Dakota.
We Are Only Getting Started
New indictments are being returned by federal grand juries on a routine basis. New investigations, including investigations targeting the out-of-state and cartel-connected suppliers above the local distribution networks already dismantled, are underway. Every prosecution that produces a cooperator opens a door to the next organization.
At the national level, the trajectory is the same. The Homeland Security Task Force model, the FTO designation regime, and the consolidated Operation Take Back America framework are all permanent fixtures of federal law enforcement. The Administration has made clear, repeatedly and at the highest level, that the goal is not the disruption of cartels and trafficking organizations, but their total elimination. That work will continue, in South Dakota and across the country, until that goal is achieved.
To the traffickers, distributors, money launderers, and out-of-state suppliers still operating in or targeting South Dakota: the message from this U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal, state, local, and tribal partners is direct. The cases described in this report are not the end of the work. They are the beginning. Anyone who continues to bring methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, or other deadly drugs into South Dakota communities should expect the same fate as the defendants identified above: federal indictment, federal conviction, and a substantial federal prison sentence.
About Operation Take Back America
Many of these prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the U.S. Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Brookings Man Convicted in Federal Trial Charging Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a ChildRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Joseph Darrell Peterson, Jr., age 47, of Brookings, South Dakota (formerly of Veblen, South Dakota) of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
Each conviction carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a possible maximum term of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine; upon release from prison, Peterson will be on supervised release for at least 5 years and possibly up to life. He must also pay $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and restitution to the victim may also be ordered.
The investigation discovered that over the course of 13 years, in multiple states, and specifically in 2010 through 2012 while living on the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation, in Veblen, South Dakota, Peterson engaged in repeated penetrative sexual acts with a child who was under 12 years old. In 2023, that child had the courage to come forward to law enforcement and an investigation ensued. Peterson was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024 and convicted June 17, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribal Law Enforcement, South Dakota DCI, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person AUSA for the Great Plains Region Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
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 is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of victims and their families despite the passage of time.
This case was also 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.A presentence investigation was ordered, and sentencing is set for September 14, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
South Carolina Man Sentenced for Attempted Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Summerville, South Carolina, man convicted of Attempted Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Robert DiOrio, age 36, was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, DiOrio must register as a sex offender.
DiOrio was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026.
DiOrio started a conversation on Reddit, a popular communication/posting website, with a person he believed was a 14-year-old girl. The conversation turned sexual, and he asked the 14-year-old girl to meet up hoping to have a sexual encounter with her. DiOrio arrived at the meeting location where he was arrested by law enforcement. All along, unbeknownst to him, DiOrio had been communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer.
This case was brought as part of an undercover operation designed to identify individuals in the community who are seeking to have sex with minors. The case was also 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, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), 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 South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
DiOrio was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons 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 June 15, 2026.
Jesse Robert Buskol, 45, was sentenced to four years and two 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.
Buskol was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.
On July 30, 2025, law enforcement conducted a parole search of Buskol’s residence and found a semi-automatic pistol. Buskol was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of a prior felony conviction for First Degree Robbery. He was on supervised release for a prior conviction at the time of this offense.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell prosecuted the case.
Buskol was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Eugene Leon Featherman, 37, was sentenced to one year and 11 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.
Featherman was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 7, 2026.
Featherman was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Featherman was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. Nonetheless, from late June through September 2025, Featherman knowingly failed to register and update his registration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Featherman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Parmelee Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.
Freyane Charley, age 48, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Charley was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 19, 2026.
On November 1, 2024, Charley was staying at a friend’s house in Sicangu Village, within the exterior boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. During the night, Charley began assaulting one of the occupants, who was sleeping. Charley broke the orbital around the victim’s right eye and knocked out two teeth.
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 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Charley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
McLaughlin Woman Sentenced to 13 Months in Federal Prison for Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota woman convicted of Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026.
Tiauna Mirage Crow Ghost, age 29, was sentenced to 13 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.
Crow Ghost was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2025. She pleaded guilty on January 28, 2026.
On September 9, 2025, in McLaughlin, South Dakota, a Bureau of Indian Affairs police officer pulled Crow Ghost over because she was driving a vehicle reported stolen. The officer handcuffed Crow Ghost and placed her in the back seat of his squad car. Crow Ghost became upset and spat on the officer.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Crow Ghost was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve her federal sentence.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026.
Thomas Maurice Cornia, age 20, was sentenced to two 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.
Cornia was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 23, 2026.
Cornia and another young man were embroiled in a long-standing feud. On the evening of July 5, 2025, they saw one another at a graduation party in Bullhead, South Dakota, and began arguing. The other man punched Cornia in the face and they began brawling and wrestling on the ground. Cornia produced a knife and stabbed the other man in the shoulder.
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 Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Cornia was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
Little Eagle Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a South Dakota man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026.
Adrian Paul Martinez, age 70, was sentenced to five 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. This sentence runs consecutively to a five-month tribal sentence imposed for the same underlying conduct.
Martinez was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 19, 2026.
Martinez was federally convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse of a Minor in 1990. As a result, he is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. In February 2022, Martinez registered a Little Eagle, South Dakota address as his primary residence. During the winter of 2024, Martinez stayed 42 nights at the Prairie Knights Casino in Fort Yates, North Dakota. He failed to update his registration to reflect that he habitually lived at the casino despite being directed to do so by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Sex Offender Registration Notification Act Compliance Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Martinez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
FBI Minneapolis Field Office announces Operation Ballistic BacklogRead the Press Release
Rapid City, SD—FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson announced Operation Ballistic Backlog today, an initiative carried out by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in partnership with the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Department of Public Safety (OST-DPS), to address a critical need for firearms evidence testing on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This initiative is part of the FBI’s larger, overarching surge of investigative resources to address unresolved violent crime on tribal lands called Operation Steadfast Promise.
Other initiatives make up parts of Operation Steadfast Promise. For example, FBI surged investigative resources to support Operation Not Forgotten, now in its fourth year. For 2026, Operation Not Forgotten identified a backlog of approximately 500 serviceable firearms in custody of the OST-DPS which had not been entered into the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is a crucial investigative tool managed by ATF that compares spent ammunition casings with other evidence found at crime scenes. NIBIN analyzes microscopic tool marks left on casings by the firearm used to discharge the casing and can match those markings to firearms or other spent casings in evidence, often resulting in investigative leads which may help resolve unsolved gun crimes such as assaults and murders. Since its inception, NIBIN has resulted in more than a million investigative leads on unresolved gun crimes. Many of those leads led to the conviction of drug traffickers, gang members, and murderers. The firearms in OST-DPS custody are being test fired at the OST Criminal Justice Center on Pine Ridge. The resulting casings will be run through NIBIN using the ATF’s Mobile Testing Lab, now at the FBI’s Rapid City Resident Agency during Ballistic Backlog.
“The FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office serves all of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, including the tribal lands that share the same geography,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Our agents, analysts, and professional support employees work tenaciously to investigate major crimes on tribal lands, including many gun crimes such as major assaults and murder. This year’s initiatives like Ballistic Backlog and Operation Not Forgotten enhance our ability to make meaningful improvements in public safety and violent crime reduction. We appreciate the crucial partnership of ATF and the resources they have brought to bear in this initiative. We are also grateful for the ongoing partnerships with the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and United States Attorney Parsons’ Office which prosecutes the offenders identified by law enforcement investigations on Pine Ridge.”
“NIBIN is one of the most powerful crime gun intelligence tools for law enforcement, and ATF is the agency that operates it nationwide in support of any law enforcement partner that needs it,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Spence Burnett, St. Paul Field Division. “When the FBI came to us and asked for our support on Operation Ballistic Backlog, we didn't hesitate. We brought our NIBIN mobile unit to South Dakota because violent offenders should not be able to hide behind an unsolved case, and we are proud to put that capability to work here in support of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.”
“The Tribe sees firsthand the effects of gun violence on our people,” said Oglala Sioux Tribe Attorney General Jessica Four Bear. “Many in our communities live in continued apprehension and fear from hearing gunshots throughout the night. This is not acceptable, and it is not the Lakota way of life. As part of this coordinated approach, the Tribe is taking steps to address youth gun violence. Our responsibility is to uphold the law in a manner that honors who we are as Lakota people. We will continue to pursue approaches that reduce youth access to firearms, support families, and promote safety across the Reservation. The Tribe calls for cultural support in our homes and families. We encourage all relatives to remind our youth of Lakota values; respect, generosity, courage, and wisdom, and to model these teachings every day. Lateral violence is not the Lakota way of life. Our strength is found in kinship. Community members are encouraged to report concerns, secure firearms responsibly, and engage youth in cultural activities and mentorship. Together, with vigilance, compassion, and cultural grounding, we will ensure safer nights and a stronger future for the Oglala Nation.”
“We hear our relatives’ concerns and we share them. Our officers are committed to a visible, consistent presence, and enforcement that keep our families safe,” said Jason Lone Hill, Chief of Police, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. “Working with our federal partners strengthens our ability to protect the community with our limited resources.”
“Operation Ballistic Backlog is a promise kept by this Administration to clear the backlog of untested firearms evidence and help deliver timely justice to protect the men, women, and children who live in the Pine Ridge Reservation and across South Dakota. Every unexamined cartridge or casing could hold the key to solving a murder or violent crime, and now—thanks to the leadership of the FBI, ATF, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety—we are going to carefully test every piece of available ballistic evidence and follow the evidence where it leads,” said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons.In a concrete example of how crucial NIBIN testing is to advancing investigations of gun crimes in this community, last week SAC Dotson announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murder of six-year-old Logan Warrior Goings. On May 5, 2022. Logan was at a family residence in Oglala, near the community of Pine Ridge, when one or more unidentified assailants shot approximately 14 rounds into the home, killing Logan. NIBIN testing linked a firearm found in another part of the state to the murder.
Anyone with information on the murder of Logan Warrior Goings or any other major crimes on Tribal lands is urged to call 800-CALL-FBI or submit information to tips.fbi.gov.Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026.
Xavier Orrin Hinds, 44, was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hinds was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.
On October 8, 2024, law enforcement officers discovered Hinds in possession of firearms following an automobile accident on I-229 in Sioux Falls. Despite being aware he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions, Hinds was carrying a pistol on his person and had another handgun inside his car.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Hinds was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026.
Kyle Heinemann, 42, 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.
Heinemann was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.
For several months in 2024, Heinemann served as a sub-distributor for a California and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization which transported large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to South Dakota and distributed it in the Sioux Falls area. Heinemann purchased methamphetamine from the organization, which he then re-sold here. Approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine was attributed to Heinemann at sentencing.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF Minneapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, USMS, USPIS, SD DCI, SFPD, MCSO, and SDHP with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Heinemann was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kyle Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026.
Bryan Black Tail Deer, 57, was sentenced to eight 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.
Black Tail Deer was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 12, 2026.
Black Tail Deer was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in August 1997 in United States District Court for the District of South Dakota. In February 2000, Black Tail Deer was convicted of First Degree Sexual Assault in the District Court of Sheridan County, Nebraska. Based on the nature of the convictions, he is required to register as a sex offender for life under the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
In March 2024, Black Tail Deer registered his address at Kyle, SD. He is required to update his address in May and November of each year based on his birth date. Black Tail Deer, knowing he was required to do so, did not update his address in May 2024, November 2024, or May 2025.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Black Tail Deer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sisseton Woman Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Fentanyl and Failure to AppearRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Sisseton, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Failure to Appear. The sentencing took place on June 1, 2026.
Laycie Williams, age 29, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and four years in federal prison for Failure to Appear, with the sentences to be served consecutively for a total of 14 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Williams was also ordered to pay $3,968 in restitution and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance stemmed from an incident that occurred in February 2023, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. In the early morning hours of February 26, 2023, Williams and the victim were socializing at a residence in Aberdeen. Co-defendant Carlin Mellette arrived at the residence and provided Williams with three pills containing fentanyl. Williams shared the pills with the victim, who ingested only half of one pill, resulting in the fentanyl overdose death of the victim. Williams and Mellette were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023. Williams pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024.
Following her guilty plea, Williams was released on bond pending sentencing. On May 19, 2025, Williams failed to appear for her scheduled sentencing hearing. Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025 for Failure to Appear. She pleaded guilty to that offense on November 3, 2025.
Mellette pleaded guilty to Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, and he was sentenced in May 2025 to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
“This is another tragic demonstration of the deadly and horrific nature of illicit fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “The heartbreaking reality is that many of its victims never intended to take it at all. The victim here took only half the intended dose in one of these illegal pills, manufactured to look like a prescription opioid, and that was the end of her life. One mistake, one counterfeit pill, one irreversible moment can bring death and destruction to any family, in any of our communities, at any time. I can promise you that this Administration and every level of law enforcement across South Dakota are doing everything possible to dismantle the drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations bringing these poisons into our country.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the FBI Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Aberdeen Police Department, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office, the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, the Gettysburg Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Williams was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Saint Francis Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Saint Francis, South Dakota man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on June 2, 2026.
Ryan Leading Cloud, age 29, was sentenced to time served through June 12, 2026, equal to approximately seven and a half months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Leading Cloud was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on July 27, 2025, in Todd County, South Dakota, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that date, Leading Cloud was arrested for disorderly conduct, and he was transported to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Correctional Facility. Upon arrival at the Adult Correctional Facility, Leading Cloud spit at a corrections officer, hitting the officer that had transported Leading Cloud.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Leading Cloud was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 7 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 1, 2026.
Alex Montileaux, 32, was sentenced to seven years and seven 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.
Montileaux was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.
On November 7, 2025, Montileaux was a passenger in a car stopped by the police. A drug dog detected the presence of illegal drugs in the car. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found a loaded pistol along with two loaded magazines for the pistol. The pistol and magazines had previously been reported stolen, and Montileaux was involved in the theft of the pistol. Montileaux had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. Possessing a firearm after such a conviction is a federal felony.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Summerset Police Department, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Montileaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Okreek Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Okreek, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm. The sentencing took place on June 2, 2026.
Sheldon Denoyer, age 36, was sentenced to five years and 10 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. Forfeiture of the unregistered firearm was also ordered.
Denoyer was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.
This conviction stems from an incident that occurred on June 13, 2023, in Mission, South Dakota, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that date, Denoyer was observed standing on a street corner with a short-barreled rifle, firing it into the air. Denoyer then got into a vehicle and departed the area. A short time later he was observed exiting the vehicle, leaving the rifle behind, and fleeing from law enforcement. The rifle was recovered and found to have a barrel length of 11 ¾ inches. The rifle was not registered to Denoyer in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer record as required by federal law.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
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 Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
Denoyer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Woman Sentenced in Federal Court for Illegally Purchasing a Firearm for a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Straw Purchasing a gun. The sentencing took place on May 28, 2026.
Loveletta Bissonette, 22, was sentenced to time served, which was over six months of custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bissonette was indicted for Straw Purchasing, False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, and False Statement to a Licensed Firearm Dealer by a federal grand jury in October 2025. She pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026.
Loveletta Bissonette schemed with Dakota Moore to buy a gun for Moore, who had been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing firearms. The purpose of their scheme was to have Bissonette buy the firearm because, as a prohibited person, Moore could not. Bissonette first tried buying a firearm from one business. That business became suspicious that Bissonette was buying the firearm for another person and refused to sell a firearm to her. Bissonette then went to another store and successfully bought a firearm. To do so, Bissonette lied by certifying the gun was for herself, when in truth it was for Moore. It is a violation of federal law to knowingly purchase a firearm for a person who is prohibited from possessing firearms. This is known as a straw purchase. Within a week, law enforcement responded to a gunshot report associated with a vehicle that Bissonette was driving. Law enforcement officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop on this vehicle and discovered Moore in the backseat in possession of the firearm Bissonette had bought for him.
“This case should serve as a warning,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Don’t allow yourself to be used by others or get caught up in their criminal activities. It is a federal crime for a convicted felon to have a gun, and if you buy a gun in order to give it to a felon, you will find, in short order, that you are now a convicted felon yourself.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Nigerian Man Sentenced in Federal Court for Fraud and Misuse of Identification DocumentRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Nigerian man convicted of Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents. The sentencing took place on May 20, 2026.
Atuchukwu Markrufus Onyeanusi, 32, was sentenced to time served—just under six months of custody—followed by one year of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Onyeanusi was indicted for Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents; False, Fictitious, Fraudulent Document or Writing; and Aggravated Identity Theft by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 27, 2026.
Onyeanusi is an alien with lawful permanent status to be in the United States. On November 10, 2025, law enforcement in Oklahoma conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Onyeanusi was driving for speeding. Onyeanusi possessed a Texas commercial driving license with his image but another person’s name. Onyeanusi also possessed an employer’s identification for Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board located in Rapid City, South Dakota, with the same false name. This ID described Onyeanusi’s position as a “Cyber Threat Analyst.” Onyeanusi used the false Texas CDL, along with a false Social Security card with the same false name, to gain employment at Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board. Onyeanusi also falsely asserted on an employment immigration form that he was a United States citizen.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Craig County Sheriff’s Office in Vinita, Oklahoma. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.