District of South Dakota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Nearly 3 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 has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 20, 2025.
Jacob Henry Leroy, 22, was sentenced to two 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.
Henry was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
On November 14, 2024, law enforcement arrested Leroy and found him in possession of a .38 Special Caliber, double-action revolver, inside his pant leg. Officers also found methamphetamine in Leroy’s pocket and sock. Leroy is prohibited from possessing the firearm because he has a prior felony conviction and because he was, at the time, a drug user.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Leroy was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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 Convicted in Federal Trial of Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Elizeo Kalimba, age 33, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a 4-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on October 24, 2025.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of up to life in prison and/or a $10 million dollar fine, up to a lifetime term on supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. There is a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years for the Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl charge and a mandatory minimum of sentence of 5 years for the Possession With Intent to Distribute Fentanyl charge.
Kalimba worked with another individual to obtain thousands of fentanyl pills from Arizona that he then distributed in Sioux Falls. Members of the Sioux Falls Police department used a confidential informant to conduct two controlled purchases of fentanyl pills from Kalimba and then executed a search warrant at his home that led to the discovery of approximately 3,900 pills in his home. Investigators believe that Kalimba was responsible for trafficking over 10,000 fentanyl pills.
Kalimba was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration, South Dakota DCI, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for February 9, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 1, 2025.
Tyler Schmidt, 31, was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Schmidt was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. He pleaded guilty on July 11, 2025.
Between October 2021 and November 2024, Schmidt and others were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Rapid City, SD, area. Schmidt routinely traveled to other states to purchase multiple pounds of methamphetamine at a time. Schmidt would then transport the methamphetamine into South Dakota and work with others to sell the methamphetamine in Rapid City. Law enforcement seized over eight pounds of methamphetamine during the investigation.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET). 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 Counter Drug Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Schmidt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Man with a MacheteRead 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 with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on October 20, 2025.
Robert Romero, age 48, was sentenced to five years and eight 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.
Romero was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in May 2024 within the boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On May 12, 2024, Romero was driving a vehicle in Mission when he observed the victim walking alongside the roadway. Romero stopped his vehicle and argued with the victim. Romero then exited his vehicle and produced a machete, which he used to strike the victim’s arm, inflicting a serious injury that required hospitalization.
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.
Romero was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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 Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on October 21, 2025.
Darrell Dean Ponca, a/k/a Darrell Dean Richards, age 67, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ponca was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
Ponca was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in November 1994. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or change in employment or student status. In December 2024, Ponca failed to update his sex offender registration following his release from custody on a previous conviction for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Ponca was arrested in Mission, South Dakota, on January 31, 2025.
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 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Ponca was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Indiana Man Convicted in Federal Court of Defrauding Elderly Victims Out of Tens of Thousands of DollarsRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Abdul Waheed Mohammed, age 33, of Greenwood, Indiana, of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on October 16, 2025.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Mohammed was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
In September 2023, Mohammed and several co-conspirators, including co-defendant Shalinee Vyas, were involved in a scam targeting elderly victims across the United States and fraudulently taking money from them. The victims were convinced by these scammers that they had committed a crime or had their bank accounts hacked. In September 2023, those working with Mohammed contacted an elderly victim in the Rapid City area and falsely claimed to be law enforcement officers. The victim was told she had been involved in a crime, would be arrested if she did not pay cash and gold to resolve the non-existent criminal matter, and could not speak about the matter to anyone. Over the course of a week, the victim lost more than $100,000 to the scammers when they came to the victim’s home to pick up cash and gold. Afterward, the victim’s friends noticed a change in her behavior that ultimately led to uncovering the scam. The victim notified law enforcement who that another $95,000 in gold was to be picked up by the scammer. Law enforcement then conducted an operation and arrested Mohammed when he arrived at the victim’s home to retrieve the gold.
Following Mohammed’s arrest, law enforcement located several messages in his phone from Vyas to Mohammed and others directing Mohammed to various locations throughout the United States to collect cash from elderly victims who were being scammed including the theft of gold in Rapid City.“The investigative efforts of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and its partners, along with the prosecutorial work of the U.S. Attorney's Office, demonstrate the commitment to pursuing, capturing, and prosecuting those who try to defraud the American people," said TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge Kelly Moening.
This case was investigated Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.A presentence investigation was ordered and Mohammed’s sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
If you or someone you know is asked to do any of these things mentioned in the above case, you are dealing with a fraudster, and you should do the following immediately:
• Do not send any more money
• Save copies of your communications, receipts, bank records, etc.
• Call your local police department or sheriff’s office, the New York State Police, or the FBI
• Submit a complaint online at IC3.gov
In addition, an individual employed by the federal government will never:
• Tell you to withdraw any of your money from your bank accounts.
• Ask you to convert your money to gold bars or some other form of currency.
• Come to your house or meet you at a predetermined location and take money from you.
• Ask you to wire money to an account.
• Ask you to send money via CashApp, Zelle, Apple Pay, or any other peer-to-peer platform.
• Ask you to send cryptocurrency.
• Ask you to buy gift cards and send them (either by mailing the physical cards or by scratching them off and sending pictures of the redemption information).
• Tell you they need remote access to your computer or any of your accounts.
• Ask you for your social security number, bank account information, or any other sensitive information over phone or email.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 ½ Years in Federal Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on September 30, 2025.
Jody Jeremy Dupris, a/k/a Jeremy Jody Dupris, age 45, was sentenced to six years and four 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.
Dupris was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 26, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of May 2024 in Eagle Butte, SD, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. Dupris went to the victim’s residence and demanded to be let in. After the victim allowed him into the residence, Dupris stabbed the victim in his right shoulder with a box-cutter/utility knife, causing a deep laceration and bleeding. The victim was able to get away and seek medical care after Dupris passed out. When law enforcement officers entered the victim’s residence, they found Dupris lying on the floor with the weapon nearby.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Dupris was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to over 19 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor and 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 man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Aaron Williams, Jr., 24, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Williams was ordered to pay $570 in restitution and $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Williams was also ordered to forfeit his cell phone.
A federal grand jury indicted Williams for the charges in August 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
During the 2024 Sturgis Bike Rally, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted an undercover anti-child exploitation operation. During the operation, Williams used his Reddit account and cell phone to send messages to a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, who was actually the undercover persona of an investigator with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. When Williams attempted to meet up with the girl to engage in sex acts, he was arrested. After Williams’ arrest, he called his father from jail, reported he had been arrested for child exploitation crimes, and requested that his dad get his “stuff” from Williams’ apartment. Shortly thereafter, Williams’ sister entered his apartment and removed several electronic devices. The devices were ultimately recovered by law enforcement. Analysis of Williams’ cell phone revealed hundreds of images of child pornography depicting infants, bestiality, and rape and bondage of children.
Williams was convicted in 2023 for Possession of Child Pornography, Viewing Child Pornography, and Distribution of Child Pornography, crimes committed during his military service in the United States Air Force. As a result of the previous conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. On August 1, 2024, just days before his arrest, Williams had completed a term of federal supervised release.
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 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Williams was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Failure 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 man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on October 1, 2025.
Bradley Makes Room For Them, age 40, was sentenced to three 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.
Makes Room For Them was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025. He pleaded guilty on July 7, 2025.
Makes Room For Them was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse in September 2003. 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. Makes Room For Them was convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2023. In November 2024, Makes Room For Them was released from prison and began a period of supervised release, but failed to update his sex offender registration. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued, and on December 13, 2024, Makes Room For Them was arrested in Rapid City.
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.
Makes Room For Them was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. The sentencing took place on October 1, 2025.
Patrick Mousseaux, 41, was sentenced to seven 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. His interest in a firearm and ammunition was also forfeited.
Mousseaux was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024. He pleaded guilty to the charge on July 11, 2025.
On April 9, 2024, Mousseaux learned the victim in this case was going to an address in Rapid City. Mousseaux was already at the address and armed with a gun. When the victim arrived, Mousseaux pointed the barrel of the gun at the victim, ordered him out of the vehicle, and demanded that he surrender the car. Mousseaux got into the driver’s seat and sped off, taking two other individuals with him and leaving the victim on the curb. The victim immediately reported the carjacking to the Rapid City Police Department. The next day, law enforcement located the stolen Nissan Rogue near the address from which it was stolen. Inside the vehicle, officers located one Ruger semi-automatic handgun with ammunition. The handgun matched the description of the gun used on the victim. Officers searched the residence where the vehicle was found and observed Mousseaux trying to jump from a window. He was apprehended and arrested at that time. Mousseaux is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of two state convictions for burglary in the third degree.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Mousseaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting and Resisting a Tribal Corrections OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Lower Brule, South Dakota, convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on October 9, 2025.
Leighton Laroche, Jr., age 42, was sentenced to five months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Laroche was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 9, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on January 19, 2024, when Laroche was in custody at the Lower Brule Detention Center. Laroche engaged in a physical struggle with a Bureau of Indian Affairs correctional officer after he refused to return to his cell as directed.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services - Lower Brule Agency.
Laroche was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on October 8, 2025.
Cecil Addison, age 27, 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.
Addison was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 10, 2025.
On April 14, 2024, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle in which Addison was a passenger. During a search of the vehicle, officers located a handgun with an extended magazine with Addison’s name written in red letters on it. Addison had two small baggies of marijuana and a methamphetamine pipe on his person when arrested. Addison is prohibited from possessing firearms due to his unlawful use of marijuana and methamphetamine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.
Addison was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Set for October 25, 2025Read the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Ron Parsons is highlighting an important opportunity for all of us to help protect lives and prevent drug abuse. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will take place this Saturday, October 25. This biannual event will begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue until 2:00 p.m. at multiple, convenient sites across the State of South Dakota. Its purpose is to give everyone a discreet, safe, and easy way to rid their homes of potentially dangerous, expired, and unused prescription drugs.
“Too often, unused prescription drugs, including opioids and other addictive pain medications, find their way into the wrong hands,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “That’s dangerous and often tragic. This is the perfect opportunity for people to clean out their medicine cabinets and drop off – completely anonymously – old or unused prescription drugs so they can be safely destroyed. We encourage the public to help make our communities cleaner and safer by participating in the DEA’s Drug Take Back Day.”
Unused medications can pose a public safety risk, particularly to vulnerable populations such as the elderly and children. Rates of prescription drug abuse in the United States are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses from these drugs. This program offers a safe, easy and effective way for everyone to do their part. On the last National Take Back Day, held in April of this year, more than 310 tons of prescription drugs were collected and destroyed.
Sheriff’s offices, police departments, and federal, state, and tribal agencies across South Dakota are participating in this important work. More information, including addresses and maps to collection sites near you, can be found here: www.DEATakeBack.com.
Mobridge Man Sentenced to over 1 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Malicious Destruction of PropertyRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Mobridge, South Dakota, who was convicted of Malicious Destruction of Property. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Kendall Lee White Tail, age 34, was sentenced to 20 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. White Tail was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,450.22.
White Tail was indicted by a North Dakota federal grand jury in March 2025. The case was transferred to South Dakota for plea and sentencing with the consent of the parties. White Tail pleaded guilty on August 4, 2025.
On the evening of January 18, 2024, White Tail escaped from the Bureau of Indian Affairs Correctional Facility in Fort Yates, North Dakota. During his escape, White Tail caused over $3000 of property damage to the facility. On January 26, 2024, law enforcement arrested White Tail at a residence in Bullhead, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandi Russell and Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
White Tail was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man and Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison in Assault and Larceny CaseRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man and woman, both from Mission, South Dakota, following their convictions in an Assault and Larceny Case.
Moran and Lapointe were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
Julian Moran, age 31, pleaded guilty on June 24, 2025, to Assault With a Dangerous Weapon and Larceny. On September 29, 2025, he was sentenced to three years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jalynn Lapointe, age 30, pleaded guilty on June 26, 2025, to Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. On September 30, 2025, she was sentenced to two 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.
The convictions stem from an incident that occurred on September 8, 2024, in Mission, SD, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On that date, Moran confronted a man in the parking lot of a convenience store and punched him in the face, knocking the man to the ground. The victim got up and ran toward the store, but Moran pursued him and knocked him down again. Moran then produced an expandable baton and repeatedly struck the victim with the baton. Lapointe subsequently approached and repeatedly kicked the victim multiple times while he was lying on the ground. Moran noticed that the keys to the victim’s vehicle had fallen on the ground. He picked them up, walked to the victim’s vehicle, got inside, and drove away.
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.
Moran and Lapointe were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Little Eagle Woman Sentenced to 3 Years of Federal Probation for Committing Child AbuseRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a woman from Little Eagle, South Dakota, convicted of Child Abuse. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Taleeya Rose Bird Horse, age 25, was sentenced to three years of federal probation and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bird Horse was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. She pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between May 12, 2023, and November 21, 2023, when Bird Horse and co-defendant Leslie Bobtail Bear severely neglected their baby, leading to the child’s emergency hospitalization. The conduct occurred within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
Bobtail Bear also pleaded guilty to Child Abuse and was sentenced on September 15, 2025, to nine months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country to 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.
Kenel Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Kenel, South Dakota, convicted of two counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Jesse Norman White Bull, age 45, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
White Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He was convicted on July 10, 2025, following a three-day federal jury trial.
At trial, the evidence established that on multiple occasions between June 1, 2023, and July 31, 2023, White Bull sexually abused a juvenile girl, who was then between the ages of twelve and thirteen years old. The abuse included White Bull’s acts of groping the child’s genitalia under her clothing. The offenses occurred within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
White Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Women from Slayton, Minnesota, and Aberdeen, South Dakota, Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a woman from Slayton, Minnesota, and a woman from Aberdeen, South Dakota, both convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Alexis Mertens, 28, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. The sentencing took place on September 22, 2025.
Brandy Christman, 39, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Mertens and Christman were indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in November 2024. Mertens pleaded guilty on June 24, 2025. Christman pleaded guilty on June 11, 2025.
Christman and Mertens were involved in selling methamphetamine to others within South Dakota between 2023 and December 2024. Christman was arrested after law enforcement found her in possession of 172 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the DEA. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Mertens and Christman were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to More Than 4 Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Jericho James Ladeaux, 32, was sentenced to four 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. Ladeaux was further ordered to forfeit the firearm and ammunition.
Ladeaux was indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on July 17, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on January 9, 2025, when law enforcement found Ladeaux driving what they believed to be a stolen vehicle. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and arrested Ladeaux, at which time they discovered he was carrying a loaded pistol. Ladeaux is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to previous felony convictions.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
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.
Ladeaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
James Daniel Lathrop, 31, 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.
Lathrop was indicted by a federal grand jury for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person in April 2025. He pleaded guilty on July 7, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on December 24, 2024, in Sioux Falls, SD, when law enforcement officers found Lathrop in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Lathrop is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of a previous felony conviction and because he is an unlawful user of controlled substances.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
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.
Lathrop was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Sex Offender Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Matthew Zook, 46, was sentenced to ten years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
A federal grand jury indicted Zook for the charge in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 15, 2025.
In April 2024, Zook used Snapchat to communicate with a 14-year-old minor female. Zook described how he would use condoms for birth control and discussed his desire to try different sex positions with the young girl. Zook told the girl the reason he wanted to have sex with her was because his mother was sick and his girlfriend was mad at him. On April 20, 2024, just after midnight, Zook drove to the minor’s house and parked in her driveway. Unbeknownst to Zook, the minor had informed one of her parents, who alerted law enforcement. Zook was arrested while parked in the driveway. Zook was previously convicted in 2012 for Fourth Degree Rape of a minor when he was 33 years old, for which he received a suspended prison sentence.
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 Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Zook was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 3 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Dylan Sanchez, 33, was sentenced to three 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.
Sanchez was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
On April 10, 2024, in Rapid City, SD, Sanchez was stopped by law enforcement for traveling above the posted speed limit. After failing a field sobriety test, Sanchez was arrested and his vehicle inventoried. In his vehicle, law enforcement located over 200 rounds of ammunition, pistol magazines, including an extended magazine, cocaine, and distributable amounts of marijuana. Sanchez is prohibited from possessing ammunition because of a previous felony conviction.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Sanchez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kansas Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl in South DakotaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a woman from Prairie Village, Kansas, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Amanda Acosta, 43, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Acosta was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. She pleaded guilty on July 17, 2025.
Acosta became involved with a California-based drug trafficking organization, operating out of Sioux Falls, in July 2024. She acted as a sub-distributor for the organization, purchasing significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl and then selling the drugs for a profit to individuals in Sioux Falls and other areas throughout South Dakota. She also allowed the organization to ship packages of fentanyl pills directly to her residence through the mail. Acosta’s involvement with the organization ended with her arrest in September 2024.
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 Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Acosta was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Area Soccer Coach Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
James Kooima, age 47, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 in the amount of $5,000, a special assessment to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance in the amount of $7,500, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, Kooima must register as a sex offender.
Kooima was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 12, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from an incident in the winter of 2023, when Kooima used Snapchat to befriend a 14-year-old girl from Maine. He manipulated her into believing they were in a romantic relationship, then coerced her into creating and sending him sexually explicit videos and images of herself, including images in which she was using an object to penetrate her vagina.
“Online sexual predators are among the most serious threats to children and adolescents in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Unfortunately, it is becoming almost commonplace to see adolescents targeted through applications like Snapchat and pressured into sending compromising photos and videos of themselves. We must remain vigilant in monitoring online activity and educating our children about the risks associated with social media.”
This case was investigated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Homeland Security Investigations, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and DCI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. 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.
Kooima was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Found Guilty of Attempted Enticement of a Minor following Federal Jury TrialRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Brandon Bishop, age 38, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of Attempted Enticement of a Minor following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on September 23, 2025.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, a minimum of five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Bishop was arrested and federally indicted in August 2024 following the annual undercover operation targeting internet predators, which was conducted in western South Dakota during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Over the course of five days, Bishop engaged with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl on MeetMe, an online “hookup” application, and via text messages. The minor was actually the undercover persona of a Rapid City Police Detective, assigned to the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. When the minor declined to send him a naked photo of herself, which Bishop requested, Bishop asked her to have sex with him and described various sex acts to her. Bishop offered alcohol, drugs, and money to the minor if she would “chill” with him. On August 6, 2024, Bishop rode his bicycle to a nearby gas station to meet the minor but was instead confronted by law enforcement agents. Bishop fled on foot and threw his cellular phone into a storm drain. The phone was recovered, and evidence of Bishop’s crimes was located on it. Bishop later claimed he believed the person he was communicating with was an adult.
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 Task Force, the Rapid City Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has been set for January 12, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Child Abuse and Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, convicted of Child Abuse and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on September 22, 2025.
Richard Hale, Jr., age 36, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently. Hale was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hale was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 26, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in October 2024 in Eagle Butte, which is within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. On October 5, 2024, Hale assaulted his intimate partner, repeatedly striking her head with a cell phone while she was holding their infant child. At one point, Hale grabbed the child by the arm. Hale’s intimate partner suffered a laceration to her head. The child suffered multiple injuries, including skull and arm fractures.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Detective Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Hale was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to More than 2 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on September 22, 2025.
Dustin Douglas Wade Deverney Hubbeling, 24, was sentenced to two 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.
Hubbeling was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 26, 2025.
On December 5, 2024, Hubbeling was encountered by officers with the Sioux Falls Police Department and found to have a pistol in the waistband of his pants. He was prohibited from possessing firearms due to three prior felony convictions.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Hubbeling was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pierre Woman Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a woman from Pierre, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 22, 2025.
Mickenzie Tucker, age 23, was sentenced to seven 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. Tucker was further ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $27,000.
Tucker was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024. She pleaded guilty on June 27, 2025.
Between July 2023 and February 2024, Tucker received and distributed child pornography using instant messaging and social media platforms, including Discord and Wickr. Law enforcement began investigating Tucker in September 2023, based on CyberTips received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which indicated Tucker was using her Discord account to store child pornography. In February 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Tucker’s residence in Pierre, seizing multiple electronic devices that contained child pornography. Tucker will forfeit ownership of those devices to the United States.
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 Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Pierre Police Department, and the FBI. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Tucker must self-report to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service by October 6, 2025.
Fort Thompson Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Fort Thompson, South Dakota, convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on September 22, 2025.
John Thompson, age 44, was sentenced to two 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.
Thompson was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 20, 2025. The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred between August 1, 2010, and August 31, 2011, within the Crow Creek Sioux Indian Reservation. During this timeframe, Thompson fondled the genitalia of a boy who was under the age of twelve.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services – Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Thompson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Her Leading Role in a Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy in Pine Ridge and Rapid CityRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a woman from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on September 19, 2025.
Kealey Twiss, 32, was sentenced to 19 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.
Twiss was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. She pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025.
The investigation revealed that Twiss and others distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine in Pine Ridge and Rapid City. Twiss was a leader in the conspiracy. Her role included setting prices, organizing the distribution, and engaging in interstate trips to obtain methamphetamine for further distribution in South Dakota. In sentencing Twiss to 230 months in prison, Judge Schreier denounced the terrible impact methamphetamine has on the Pine Ridge community.
This case was investigated by Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Twiss was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kyle, South Dakota Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for His Role in a Drug Distribution Conspiracy in Pine Ridge and Rapid CityRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Kyle, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on September 19, 2025.
Nathan Tobacco-Clifford, 49, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Tobacco-Clifford was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. He pleaded guilty on April 23, 2025.
Tobacco-Clifford’s conviction stems from the distribution of methamphetamine on the Pine Ridge Reservation and in Rapid City, South Dakota. During the course of the conspiracy, Tobacco-Clifford and several of his codefendants traveled from the Pine Ridge Reservation to Greeley, Colorado, to obtain methamphetamine from codefendant Misty Hornbeck. On one occasion, the co-conspirators attempted to bring methamphetamine into South Dakota from Colorado, but were arrested in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, en route to the Pine Ridge Reservation. Each of the codefendants sold methamphetamine to support their own drug use. Between 500 grams and 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine was distributed during this criminal enterprise.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Tobacco-Clifford was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Two North Dakota Men Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Credit Union RobberyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced two men from New Town, North Dakota, convicted of Credit Union Robbery. The sentencings took place on September 15, 2025.
Jason Cook, age 40, was sentenced to seven years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $99.91 in restitution, to be paid joint and several with DeMarce, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Conrad DeMarce, age 38, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $99.91 in restitution, to be paid joint and several with Cook, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Cook and DeMarce were indicted for Credit Union Robbery by a federal grand jury in April 2025. They pleaded guilty on June 12, 2025.
The convictions stemmed from Cook and DeMarce traveling to Eagle Butte, South Dakota, on April 8, 2025, where they entered the Black Hills Federal Credit Union dressed in black with their faces covered. They were armed with BB gun pistols that appeared to be real firearms. Cook and DeMarce pointed the pistols at four employees and a customer. Using the pistols to threaten and intimidate the employees, the men demanded money and fled in a vehicle driven by Cook after forcing the employees and a customer into a bathroom and breaking the customer’s phone. Cook and DeMarce engaged Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Officers in a high-speed pursuit, reaching speeds of over 115 miles per hour. The men were arrested after their vehicle ran out of gas. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement located cash stolen from the credit union, clothing worn during the robbery, and the BB gun pistols used during the robbery.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Cook and DeMarce were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Wounded Knee Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Committing Child Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Wounded Knee, South Dakota, convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025.
Anfernee Rondeau, 28, was sentenced to 30 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.
Rondeau was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He was found guilty following a federal jury trial in May 2025.
Evidence offered at trial established that on the evening of April 4, 2024, Rondeau, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend’s 6-year-old daughter returned home after an evening of drinking. Both adults were intoxicated. Rondeau, his girlfriend, and the child went into a bedroom. A short while later, a 13-year-old witness heard the child crying. When the 13-year-old went to check on the child, she observed Rondeau on top of the child. Rondeau’s pants were partially unzipped and pulled down. The child’s pants and underwear were pulled down. The 13-year-old witness acted heroically and pushed Rondeau off the child. The 13-year-old wrapped the child in a blanket and carried her to another family member inside the house. Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety law enforcement responded and arrested Rondeau.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
Rondeau was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man with History of Eluding Local Police Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment. The sentencing took place on September 15, 2025.
Boru Guye Wako, Jr., 39, was sentenced to 7 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wako was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and Illegal Receipt of a Firearm by a Person Under Indictment by a federal grand jury in November 2023. He was found guilty following a two-day jury trial on July 1, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from an incident in Sioux Falls, SD, on March 8, 2023, when the Sioux Falls Police Department received a report of a stolen vehicle last seen driven by Wako. When detectives with the Sioux Falls Violent Crime Unit located Wako in the stolen vehicle, they attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Rather than comply, Wako fled in the vehicle through a residential neighborhood, later abandoning the vehicle in an alleyway. As the detectives approached Wako a second time, he fled on foot, eventually escaping by stealing a second vehicle. Detectives then searched the first vehicle from which Wako fled and discovered a firearm in the driver’s side door. Later analysis revealed Wako’s DNA on the firearm. Having previously been convicted of a felony, and at the time being under indictment for a separate felony, Wako is prohibited from possessing firearms.
“This case is the result of powerful partnerships between local and federal law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “For nearly three years now, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has worked with the Sioux Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to charge local violent offenders with federal firearm offenses whenever possible. Through federal prosecution, we have been removing violent offenders from the streets of Sioux Falls for significant periods of time, interrupting violence and keeping our community safe.”
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen and U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell prosecuted the case.
Wako was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Reliance Man, Seventh in a Large-Scale Conspiracy, Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine in the Pierre AreaRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Reliance, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on September 15, 2025.
Heath Choal, age 51, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Choal was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025.
This conviction stemmed from a drug distribution conspiracy beginning in June 2023 and continuing until September 2024. Choal would obtain methamphetamine from his codefendants Misty and Heather Stahlhoefer, who were the sources of supply to several other individuals in the Pierre area. The Stahlhoefers would acquire up to one pound of methamphetamine per trip to be further distributed by themselves and others including Choal, Whitney Marrowbone, Wendy Mealer, Brent Larvie, and David Rinehart. The conspiracy involved between 30 and 35 pounds of methamphetamine.
The co-defendants who were earlier sentenced to federal prison are as follows:
- Misty Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison.
- Heather Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
- Marrowbone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
- Mealer was sentenced to six years in federal prison.
- Larvie was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison.
- Rinehart was sentenced to two years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges.
Choal was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Omaha Men Sentenced to Years in Federal Prison for Interstate Transportation of Stolen MoneyRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced two men from Omaha, Nebraska, convicted of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Money. The sentencings took place on September 15, 2025.
Roberto Carlos Gonzalez Miranda, age 24, was sentenced to five years and ten months in federal prison. Co-defendant Roberto Orellana, age 46, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison. Both Orellana and Miranda were ordered to pay $352,000 in restitution to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Miranda was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund; Orellana, $200.
Miranda and Orellana were indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024. They both pleaded guilty on June 3, 2025.
Shortly after 6:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 25, 2024, personnel at the Grand River Casino in rural Mobridge, South Dakota, received a call from someone claiming to be a U.S. Government official. The caller claimed the casino owed $700,000 in audit fees and that steep fines would be levied if the casino did not immediately make a down payment on the debt. Acting at the direction of the caller, casino personnel took cash from the casino vault and transported it to Mitchell, South Dakota, to make a payment.
Miranda and Orellana occasionally worked as money mules for a transnational criminal organization during the winter of 2023-2024. On February 25, 2024, the organization dispatched them to Mitchell to collect the casino funds. The caller who arranged the fraud was not identified, and the casino funds have not been recovered.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the South Dakota DCI, the Mitchell Police Department, and the Corson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Miranda and Orellana were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Little Eagle Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Committing Child AbuseRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Little Eagle, South Dakota, convicted of Child Abuse. The sentencing took place on September 15, 2025.
Leslie Gerald Bobtail Bear, age 27, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bobtail Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between May 12, 2023, and November 21, 2024, when Bobtail Bear and his romantic partner severely neglected their baby, leading to the child’s emergency hospitalization. The conduct occurred in Corson County, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country to 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.
Bobtail Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 4 ½ Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on September 8, 2025.
Lamont Victor Garrett, 52, was sentenced to four 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.
Garrett was indicted for Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He was found guilty by a jury on June 11, 2025.
Garrett possessed ammunition in his residence in Sioux Falls on August 21, 2024. The ammunition was discovered when law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence. Garrett is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because of his previous felony convictions.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Garrett was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
St. Francis Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Resisting and Impeding Federal Officers and for Possessing Methamphetamine Bound for DistributionRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from St. Francis, South Dakota, convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding Federal Officers and of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on September 9, 2025.
Derek McCloskey, age 30, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, $24,965.83 in restitution, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
McCloskey was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025.
The convictions stemmed from a vehicle pursuit on May 16, 2024, involving personnel from the United States Marshals Service, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bennett County Sheriff’s Office. During the nearly two-hour pursuit through several counties, McCloskey hit multiple law enforcement vehicles, causing significant damage to the vehicles. McCloskey and his passenger threw significant quantities of methamphetamine and a rifle from the vehicle during the pursuit. Officers ultimately recovered a rifle and approximately 25 grams of pure methamphetamine. Data from McCloskey’s phone indicated he was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine within the Rosebud Indian Reservation.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the Bennett County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kirk Albertson and Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
McCloskey was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 7, 2025.
Andrew Cortes, 30, was sentenced to two 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.
Cortes was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on May 23, 2025.
On December 12, 2024, Rapid City police officers initiated a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Cortes was a passenger for a traffic violation. As soon as the vehicle came to a stop, Cortes fled the scene. Law enforcement pursued Cortes on foot and apprehended him. Cortes had a pistol in his possession during the pursuit, and it dropped from him when law enforcement apprehended him. Cortes was previously convicted for a felony crime. Possessing a firearm after such a conviction is a federal felony 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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Cortes was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
United States Attorney’s Office Charges 88 Defendants for Federal Drug Offenses During Summer 2025Read the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted 88 defendants between April and August 2025 for federal offenses related to the trafficking of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. These federal charges resulted from sophisticated, long-term investigations carried out by federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies, many of which collaborate through one of the various long-standing drug task forces operating throughout South Dakota.
“Drug traffickers who flood our South Dakota communities with illegal narcotics will be met with the full force of federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Dakota is proud to work alongside federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to protect the public by disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations. We will continue to use every legal tool available to ensure drug traffickers face significant sentences in federal prison for endangering our communities and fueling addiction.”
Leading the effort to identify and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in South Dakota are multi-agency drug task forces located throughout the state, including the following:
- Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF), comprised of the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), comprised of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, DCI, the South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP), and the South Dakota National Guard (SDNG)
- Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Division of Drug Enforcement (BIA-DDE), DCI, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS)
- Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, comprised of the FBI, BIA-DDE, DCI, SDHP, SDNG, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, Hughes County Sheriff’s Office, Tripp County Sheriff’s Office, Ziebach County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mobridge Police Department
Among the 88 defendants indicted over the course of the last several months were 16 defendants arrested during Operation Snowy Ridge, a two-day, multi-agency drug trafficking takedown in Western South Dakota.
Examples of significant illegal drug cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office this calendar year, and the federal prison sentences that resulted, include the following:
- United States v. Rikki Barrowman, et al.: Defendant pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (150 pounds of methamphetamine) throughout Pierre, Rapid City, and several South Dakota reservations and was sentenced to nearly 23 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Guillermo Calderon, et al.: Defendant pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) within the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City area and was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, BIA-OJS, and OSTDPS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Curtis Cummings, et al.: Following a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (fentanyl) Resulting in Death. He was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison; his co-conspirators each received 20-23 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by UNET. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Dilges and Edward Tarbay prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Nathan Johnson, et al.: This 24-defendant methamphetamine conspiracy spanned the state and was one of the largest drug conspiracies in South Dakota history. The lead co-conspirators received sentences ranging from 27-36 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), DCI, the SFADTF, and the SDHP, with collaboration from more than a dozen other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies across the country. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Cory Linderman, et al.: Defendant was part of a group of people who worked together to traffic approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Rapid City area. He was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison. Other co-conspirators received sentences ranging from 14-22 ½ years in federal prison. The case was investigated by UNET. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Quantiae Harris, et al.: This 26-defendant methamphetamine and fentanyl conspiracy operated throughout the Sioux Falls area. To date, numerous defendants have pleaded guilty and Defendants Hailey Schneiderman and Heather Downey have been sentenced to 16 years and 10 years in federal prison, respectively. The case was investigated by the DEA, the SFADTF, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce is prosecuting the case.
- United States v. Misty Stahlhoefer, et al.: This seven-defendant conspiracy involved the distribution of approximately 30-35 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Pierre area. Misty Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison. Other co-conspirators received sentences ranging from 2-18 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Calvin Taylor, et al.: Three defendants were charged with Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) in the Aberdeen area. Two defendants pleaded guilty and one was convicted at trial. Defendants Hillard and Fowler have received 10 years and 25 years in federal prison, respectively. Taylor awaits sentencing. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution of illegal narcotics by the U.S. Attorney’s Office is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the United States Department of Justice to 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).
United States Attorney’s Office Charges 88 Defendants for Federal Drug Offenses During Summer 2025Read the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office indicted 88 defendants between April and August 2025 for federal offenses related to the trafficking of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. These federal charges resulted from sophisticated, long-term investigations carried out by federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement agencies, many of which collaborate through one of the various long-standing drug task forces operating throughout South Dakota.
“Drug traffickers who flood our South Dakota communities with illegal narcotics will be met with the full force of federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Dakota is proud to work alongside federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to protect the public by disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations. We will continue to use every legal tool available to ensure drug traffickers face significant sentences in federal prison for endangering our communities and fueling addiction.”
Leading the effort to identify and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in South Dakota are multi-agency drug task forces located throughout the state, including the following:
- Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF), comprised of the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), comprised of the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, DCI, the South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP), and the South Dakota National Guard (SDNG)
- Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Division of Drug Enforcement (BIA-DDE), DCI, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS)
- Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, comprised of the FBI, BIA-DDE, DCI, SDHP, SDNG, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, Hughes County Sheriff’s Office, Tripp County Sheriff’s Office, Ziebach County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mobridge Police Department
Among the 88 defendants indicted over the course of the last several months were 16 defendants arrested during Operation Snowy Ridge, a two-day, multi-agency drug trafficking takedown in Western South Dakota. The number also includes Defendant Mario Balquier, a large-scale methamphetamine dealer based in Mexico with high-level connections to the Sinaloa Cartel. Balquier, a U.S. citizen, fled to Mexico in 2013 after being indicted on federal drug charges. He was recently taken into custody with the assistance of federal agents from South Dakota following a high-risk fugitive arrest.
Examples of significant illegal drug cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office this calendar year, and the federal prison sentences that resulted, include the following:
- United States v. Rikki Barrowman, et al.: Defendant pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (150 pounds of methamphetamine) throughout Pierre, Rapid City, and several South Dakota reservations and was sentenced to nearly 23 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Guillermo Calderon, et al.: Defendant pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) within the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City area and was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the FBI, DEA, BIA-OJS, and OSTDPS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Curtis Cummings, et al.: Following a jury trial, Defendant was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (fentanyl) Resulting in Death. He was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison; his co-conspirators each received 20-23 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by UNET. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan Dilges and Edward Tarbay prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Nathan Johnson, et al.: This 24-defendant methamphetamine conspiracy spanned the state and was one of the largest drug conspiracies in South Dakota history. The lead co-conspirators received sentences ranging from 27-36 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the DEA, FBI, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), DCI, the SFADTF, and the SDHP, with collaboration from more than a dozen other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies across the country. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Cory Linderman, et al.: Defendant was part of a group of people who worked together to traffic approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Rapid City area. He was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison. Other co-conspirators received sentences ranging from 14-22 ½ years in federal prison. The case was investigated by UNET. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Quantiae Harris, et al.: This 26-defendant methamphetamine and fentanyl conspiracy operated throughout the Sioux Falls area. To date, numerous defendants have pleaded guilty and Defendants Hailey Schneiderman and Heather Downey have been sentenced to 16 years and 10 years in federal prison, respectively. The case was investigated by the DEA, the SFADTF, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce is prosecuting the case.
- United States v. Misty Stahlhoefer, et al.: This seven-defendant conspiracy involved the distribution of approximately 30-35 pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Pierre area. Misty Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison. Other co-conspirators received sentences ranging from 2-18 years in federal prison. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
- United States v. Calvin Taylor, et al.: Three defendants were charged with Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) in the Aberdeen area. Two defendants pleaded guilty and one was convicted at trial. Defendants Hillard and Fowler have received 10 years and 25 years in federal prison, respectively. Taylor awaits sentencing. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce is prosecuting the case.
The prosecution of illegal narcotics by the U.S. Attorney’s Office is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the United States Department of Justice to 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).
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 8, 2025.
Amir Kalomo Mulamba, age 29, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, Mulamba must register as a sex offender.
Mulamba was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2021. He pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between May 30, 2021, and June 25, 2021, when Mulamba used Snapchat to meet and coerce a 14-year-old female living in Utah to engage in sexually explicit conduct, record that conduct, and provide those recordings and images to Mulamba. The coercion included convincing the minor female to record and send to Mulamba a video of her penetrating herself with a foreign object. In exchange for the videos and images, Mulamba promised to buy the victim a cellular phone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. 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.
Mulamba was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from McLaughlin, South Dakota, convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on September 8, 2025.
Malachi Adam Marcus Howard, age 22, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between November 1, 2023, and March 19, 2024, when Howard caused a 10-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. The conduct occurred in Corson County, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country to be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
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.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Valley City (ND) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Howard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Porcupine Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assault within the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Porcupine, South Dakota, convicted of one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on August 18, 2025.
Elijah Keith Battese, 25, was sentenced to one year and one 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.
Battese was indicted for two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon by a federal grand jury in January 2025. He pleaded guilty on May 2, 2025.
On September 27, 2024, Battese struck a juvenile male with a vacuum handle. The victim suffered a 1.4-inch laceration to his right-ear area, requiring eleven sutures from emergency medical services. The offense took place within the Pine Ridge Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Battese was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Long Running Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — A Jamaican national, who was previously extradited to the United States from Jamaica, pleaded guilty on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota in connection to a long running scheme to defraud a California woman.
Dwayne Anderson, 35, of Hannover, Jamaica, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges. Anderson was arrested on July 11, 2024, by Jamaican authorities based on a U.S. indictment and was extradited to the United States, where he has remained incarcerated pending trial.
As part of this plea agreement, Anderson admitted that, from as early as 2010 until September 2017, he participated in a scheme to defraud an American woman. Using phony names, Anderson contacted the victim by telephone, text message, and email and falsely informed her that she had won millions of dollars in a sweepstakes. He persuaded the victim, who believed his false representations, to send money to pay various purported fees and taxes associated with the sweepstakes. He instructed her on how, and to whom, to send these payments. Anderson repeatedly contacted the victim with additional requests to pay money and told her that her winnings would be forthcoming if she paid the requested money. The victim paid the purported fees, losing more than $181,000, but never received any of the purported winnings.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting Americans from the threats posed by transnational criminals and will vigorously pursue them, wherever they are located,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Anderson is the latest example in the Department’s ongoing efforts to combat these kinds of foreign based schemes and hold those involved accountable.”
“Americans are increasingly falling victim to devastating fraud schemes perpetrated by transnational criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “Whether it happens in a rural community or a metropolitan area, the Department of Justice will ensure these criminals are held to account for their shameless targeting of vulnerable individuals and their hard-earned savings.”
“If you target vulnerable Americans with schemes designed to steal their hard-earned money, you will become our target,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the USPIS Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service knows no boundaries when it comes to protecting our communities. We will find you, we will stop you, and we will hold you accountable.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and August 2024 extradition of Anderson.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Director J. Matt Williams, Senior Trial Attorney Brandon Robers, and Trial Attorney Edward E. Emokpae, of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Hoffman for the District of South Dakota.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-sd. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Long Running Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A Jamaican national, who was previously extradited to the United States from Jamaica, pleaded guilty on Friday in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota in connection a long running scheme to defraud a California woman.
Dwayne Anderson, 35, of Hannover, Jamaica, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges. Anderson was arrested on July 11, 2024, by Jamaican authorities based on a U.S. indictment and was extradited to the United States, where he has remained incarcerated pending trial.
As part of this plea agreement, Anderson admitted that, from as early as 2010 until September 2017, he participated in a scheme to defraud an American woman. Using phony names, Anderson contacted the victim by telephone, text message, and email and falsely informed her that she had won millions of dollars in a sweepstakes. He persuaded the victim, who believed his false representations, to send money to pay various purported fees and taxes associated with the sweepstakes. He instructed her on how, and to whom, to send these payments. Anderson repeatedly contacted the victim with additional requests to pay money and told her that her winnings would be forthcoming if she paid the requested money. The victim paid the purported fees, losing more than $181,000, but never received any of the purported winnings.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting Americans from the threats posed by transnational criminals and will vigorously pursue them, wherever they are located,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Anderson is the latest example in the Department’s ongoing efforts to combat these kinds of foreign based schemes and hold those involved accountable.”
“Americans are increasingly falling victim to devastating fraud schemes perpetrated by transnational criminals,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell for the District of South Dakota. “Whether it happens in a rural community or a metropolitan area, the Department of Justice will ensure these criminals are held to account for their shameless targeting of vulnerable individuals and their hard-earned savings.”
“If you target vulnerable Americans with schemes designed to steal their hard-earned money, you will become our target,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the USPIS Criminal Investigations Group. “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service knows no boundaries when it comes to protecting our communities. We will find you, we will stop you, and we will hold you accountable.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Jamaica to secure the arrest and August 2024 extradition of Anderson.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Director J. Matt Williams, Senior Trial Attorney Brandon Robers, and Trial Attorney Edward E. Emokpae, of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ann Hoffman for the District of South Dakota.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for South Dakota visit their website at www.justice.gov/usao-sd. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine within the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a woman from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 29, 2025.
Kadell Richard, 31, 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.
Richard was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. She pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025.
Between October 2023 and April 2024, Richard and others were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota and within the Pine Ridge Reservation. Richard assisted her co-conspirators in arranging narcotics transactions and finding end-users to whom her co-conspirators could sell methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force (BSTTF). BSTTF is a joint-agency taskforce comprised of law enforcement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigations, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Richard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Role in Large-Scale Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine in Rapid City Area and within the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on August 29, 2025.
Harrison Caldwell, 31, 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. The sentence was ordered to run consecutively to a 33-month sentence for a separate assault case.
Caldwell was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. He pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
The investigation showed that Caldwell and others distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine in Pine Ridge and Rapid City beginning around November 2023. The conspiracy was responsible for distributing nearly 100% pure methamphetamine that came from Mexican cartels. In sentencing Caldwell to ten years in prison, Judge Schreier noted that his involvement was less significant than other higher-ranking members of the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Caldwell was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pierre Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Pierre, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on September 3, 2025.
Archie Mack, age 41, was sentenced to 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.
Mack was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025. He pleaded guilty on June 4, 2025.
Mack was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in December 2005. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or change in employment or student status. In August 2024, Mack updated his sex offender registration to reflect that he was residing at a residence in Pierre. In September 2024, Mack relocated to a different residence in Pierre, but did not thereafter update his sex offender registration. On November 19, 2024, Mack was arrested in Pierre.
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 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. Marshal’s Service and the Pierre Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Mack was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.