District of South Dakota

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on June 26, 2026.

A’Aliyah LeClaire, 30, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

LeClaire was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in March 2025. She pleaded guilty on April 17, 2026.

LeClaire was involved with moving money generated from a cocaine conspiracy that spanned from Texas to Rapid City. A source in Texas supplied cocaine through the mail to an individual in Rapid City. LeClaire assisted that individual with moving the money by helping make deposits and by allowing her accounts to be utilized to transfer the money to help hide the nature and ownership of the money.

“Whether you’re moving the drugs or moving the drug money, you can expect to hear from us sooner or later,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.

“It doesn’t matter how big or small a person’s role is when it comes to assisting drug traffickers, IRS-CI will be relentless in pursuing those who bring drugs into our communities. Our special agents will follow the money to a criminal’s door,” said IRS-CI St. Louis Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “Every prison sentence is a result of the incredible coordination between federal, state and local law enforcement and it’s a victory for the people of South Dakota.”

This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and Division of Criminal Investigation. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.

LeClaire has been ordered to self-surrender. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.  The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026. 

Lucius Muldrow, 40, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Muldrow was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in September 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.

Between November 2021 and September 2025, Muldrow was part of a conspiracy to distribute at least 200 grams of methamphetamine in Western South Dakota.  Muldrow routinely received methamphetamine from co-conspirators within the community and sold it from his home and other areas throughout the community.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Tarbay prosecuted the case.

Muldrow was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet.  The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026. 

Elmer Hopper, 37, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Forfeiture was also ordered. 

Hopper was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in August 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.

During the 2025 Sturgis Bike Rally, Hopper initiated communications on the internet-based application Plenty Of Fish with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl.  The girl, in fact, was a Rapid City Police Detective operating in an undercover capacity on Plenty Of Fish, an app used for dating and sexual encounters.  Hopper and the undercover persona started communicating through texting.  Hopper told her that he wanted someone to lay in bed with him.  Later, Hopper explained that he meant that he wanted someone to have sex with, not lay in bed with.  Hopper and the undercover persona agreed to meet at West Middle School in Rapid City.  When Hopper arrived at the school, he was arrested.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.  Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case. 

Hopper was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Second Degree Murder. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026. 

Jimi Jo Collins, age 27, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Collins was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025.  She pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.

The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred in March of 2025, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation.  On March 2, 2025, Collins set fire to a residence in Eagle Butte that was occupied by multiple people.  Several people escaped from the residence, but two victims were unable to get out and died in the fire.

“This woman is an arsonist and a murderer,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “She intentionally set fire to a mobile home, with people asleep inside, because she thought someone had broken her car window.  The result of that malevolent act is that two people were burned alive.  The horror and tragic pointlessness of it all is unimaginable.”

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.

Collins was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Hot Springs, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026. 

Cecle Crist, 53, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Crist was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in November 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026.

In November 2025, several officers with the Fall River County Sheriff’s Office and the Hot Springs Police Department attempted to arrest Crist on a federal arrest warrant pertaining to another firearm charge. When the officers entered the camper Crist lived in, he hid in a closet, threatened to kill law enforcement, and said he had a gun.  The officers exited the camper and called in the Rapid City Special Response Team (SRT). After SRT fired several rounds of OC powder into the camper, Crist exited the camper and was placed under arrest. Officers thereafter located in the camper three loaded rifles, a pellet gun, and several rounds of ammunition, which Crist knew were in his possession.  Crist is a previously convicted felon who knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the Fall River County Sheriff’s Office, and the Hot Springs Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

Crist was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026. 

Warren Allen McBride, 33, was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

McBride was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 30, 2026.

According to court records, on April 23, 2025, McBride possessed a short-barreled shotgun, even though he knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearms as a result of prior felony convictions. The shotgun had a barrel length of less than 18 inches, and it was unregistered in the National Firearms Registry.  McBride possessed the short-barreled shotgun in a residence where others had direct access to it, and it was seized during the execution of a search warrant at his residence. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Marshals Service, and the Sioux Falls Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.

McBride was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.  The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026. 

Theodore Running Bear III, age 29, was sentenced to one year and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Running Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026.

The conviction stemmed from conduct that occurred in June 2025 within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.  On June 11, 2025, Running Bear was arrested by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement in connection with an alleged assault that occurred earlier that month.  At the time of his arrest, Running Bear was in possession of a short (“sawed-off”) shotgun.  The short shotgun was not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.  Running Bear will forfeit ownership of the firearm to the United States.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

Running Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026. 

Gene Kaline, 33, was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Kaline was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in January 2026.  He pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026.

In the Fall of 2025, Kaline led local police officers on several dangerous, high-speed chases while eluding them in a stolen vehicle.  On one date, he was speeding into oncoming traffic in the course of which he nearly ran over a deputy sheriff attempting to deploy traffic spikes to disable the car Kaline was driving.  Kaline was not caught.  Days later, Kaline again led officers on a dangerous, high-speed chase without, initially, being caught.  Later the same day, he was again involved in a pursuit during which he collided with a police car.  Fortunately, no one was injured by the defendant’s flagrant actions and the defendant was apprehended.  In the stolen car Kaline was driving, officers found a stolen 9mm handgun. Kaline has a 2019 felony conviction for Violation of a Protection Order.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Box Elder Police Department, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

Kaline was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault on a Federal Officer.  The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026. 

Robert Wayne Old Horse, 58, was sentenced to serve two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Old Horse was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in August 2025.  He pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026.

On April 5, 2025, at Pine Ridge, Old Horse was arrested by tribal law enforcement.  While inside the correctional facility, he became combative with the corrections officers and refused to enter his cell.  At one point, Old Horse laid on the ground and while a female corrections officer was attempting to get him up, Old Horse kicked her in the abdomen with his foot.  The officer was eight months pregnant at the time.

This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paige Petersen and Megan Poppen prosecuted the case. 

Old Horse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Fresno, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.  The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026. 

Alonso Molina-Corona, 43, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Molina-Corona was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in August 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026.

The charges stem from a vehicle stop made by a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper of a vehicle driven by Molina-Corona on I-90 in August 2025.  Inside the defendant’s vehicle, officers discovered over 92 kilos (approximately 200 lbs.) of methamphetamine.  The defendant was found to have been transporting the drugs from the west coast for distribution in the Midwest as part of a conspiracy of which he was part.  Ultimately, law enforcement authorities deemed Molina-Corona a courier of the drugs. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

Molina-Corona was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

“Behind every ounce of methamphetamine and every fentanyl pill in these cases is a South Dakota family that has suffered and felt the damage. That is who this work is for. We have proven that no link in the chain is beyond our reach—not the local dealer, not the out-of-state supplier, and not the cartel hiding in the shadows behind them. Working with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, we will keep following that chain, defendant by defendant and case by case, until our communities are no longer a market these traffickers believe they can exploit.”

— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced the results of four landmark federal prosecutions in the past year that have systematically dismantled major drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) connected to the Mexican cartels responsible for flooding South Dakota communities with methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other deadly narcotics.  Through coordinated, long-term investigations involving federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota has secured federal convictions against 54 members of these four organizations, with eight cases still pending and one case dismissed due to the defendant’s death, and has obtained substantial federal prison sentences—including multiple sentences exceeding 20 and 30 years—against their leaders, lieutenants, suppliers, and sub-distributors in the past year alone.

Conservatively estimated, these four DTOs together trafficked more than 1,000 pounds—over half a ton—of methamphetamine and multiple kilograms of fentanyl pills and powder into South Dakota over the course of recent years. The defendants ranged from out-of-state suppliers connected to Mexican cartels to local distributors operating from short-term rental properties, hotels, and private residences across Sioux Falls, Rapid City, the Pine Ridge Reservation, and surrounding communities.

As the capstone of those efforts, U.S. Attorney Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Las Vegas, Nevada, man convicted by a federal jury of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, as well as an additional three of his subordinates for similar drug-related crimes.

On June 24, 2026, Quantiae Harris, 49, was sentenced to 33 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024.  He was found guilty by a federal jury following a four-day trial on March 27, 2026. Harris was the leader of a California and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to the Sioux Falls area.  More than anyone else, Harris was responsible for the introduction and distribution of fentanyl powder — the most potent, deadly and destructive form of that illicit substance — into the Sioux Falls illegal drug market.  At his sentencing, Judge Schreier noted that the drug quantity involved in the prosecution of the Quantiae Harris drug trafficking organization was one of the highest she had seen in more than 25 years on the federal bench.

"The actions of Quantiae Harris and his associates made detrimental and lasting impacts on communities across South Dakota. Fentanyl and methamphetamine carry potentially lethal consequences, and some families may never recover from the poisons Harris knowingly brought into the state and sold. Today’s sentencing sends a strong message to drug traffickers looking to make their mark in our state. DEA, alongside state, local, tribal and fellow federal partners will work non-stop to bring individuals peddling these illicit drugs to justice.”

                                                                                              — Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie
                                                                     Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Field Division

“This is an amazing win for the people of South Dakota. The damage Harris and his associates have done to communities by introducing fentanyl powder to Sioux Falls is immeasurable. IRS-CI special agents are committed to working alongside our federal law enforcement partners to trace the money trails that lead to the disruption of dangerous drug trafficking organizations such as this.”

                                                                                  — Special Agent in Charge William Steenson 
                                                                                                                    IRS-Criminal Investigation

Three additional sentences for members of the Quantiae Harris DTO were also announced by U.S. Attorney Parsons today:

On June 15, 2026, Faily Chavez, 31, from California City, California, was sentenced by Judge Schreier to 24 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  Chavez was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2024.  She pleaded guilty on March 24, 2026.

On June 22, 2026, Kyle Schryvers, 33, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange to 16 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  He pleaded guilty on March 17, 2026.

Also on June 22, 2026, Nicole Kritz, 48, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced by Chief Judge Lange to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  She pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.

Chavez, Schryvers, and Kritz were all members of the Quantiae Harris DTO.

These sentences are the latest results from the systematic takedown of four major drug trafficking operations in South Dakota over the past year:

• Quantiae Harris DTO
• Juan Sertuche DTO
  Matthew Shade DTO
• Darrel Devorce DTO

By the Numbers
Combined results across just these four discrete prosecutions:

• Total defendants charged or convicted federally: 63 charged, 54 convictions to date
• Methamphetamine trafficked (combined estimates): More than 1,000 pounds
• Fentanyl pills trafficked (combined estimates): Tens of thousands
• Fentanyl powder: Multiple kilograms
• Money laundering proceeds traced: Several million dollars
• Federal prison sentences to date: More than 660 years

Federal jury trials: Three to date (Quantiae Harris, Juan Sertuche, and Gregory Henderson convicted at trial)

Importantly, the prosecutions of the four drug trafficking organizations detailed in this report represent only a portion of the drug trafficking convictions and sentences secured by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota over the past year.

1. QUANTIAE HARRIS DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION

   26-Defendant California- and Nevada-Based Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Conspiracy

Overview of the Organization

From late 2023 through September 2024, a California- and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization led by Quantiae Harris, age 49, of Las Vegas, Nevada, transported large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to South Dakota for distribution in the Sioux Falls area. The organization is the first known to have introduced powder fentanyl to the Sioux Falls drug market—a development of grave public health and public safety concern given fentanyl’s extreme lethality even in microscopic amounts.

The organization initially shipped drugs through the U.S. Mail to addresses in Sioux Falls, where members would collect packages and distribute the contents to local sub-distributors. Operations were originally conducted out of local hotels, but eventually transitioned to short-term rental properties, including Airbnbs. Once the U.S. Postal Inspection Service began intercepting their packages, the organization shifted methods, using rental vehicles equipped with hidden compartments to drive narcotics from California to Sioux Falls.

Customers contacted members for brief meetups at public locations to purchase drugs, with payments made in cash or through electronic payment platforms such as Cash App. Bulk cash proceeds were transported back to California in rental vehicles, while large amounts of currency were also deposited in local banks into accounts belonging to Quantiae Harris. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation linked Harris to over $1.2 million in money laundering transactions related to the organization.

Scope of Trafficking (Conservative Estimates)

• More than 100 pounds of methamphetamine
• Tens of thousands of fentanyl pills (estimated 50,000)
• Approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl powder
• More than $1.2 million in money laundering transactions linked to the DTO leader

Indictments and Prosecutions

Four rounds of federal indictments charged a total of 26 defendants in connection with the Harris organization.  Convictions for 22 of the 26 defendants have been secured so far. Harris, the DTO leader, was convicted following a four-day federal jury trial in Sioux Falls, returning a guilty verdict on every count on March 27, 2026.  Currently, four remaining defendants are scheduled for trials. Regarding those four defendants, as with any pending criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Federal Defendants

Quantiae Harris

Las Vegas, NV

Stephonn Walton

Las Vegas, NV

Dejuan Croom

Los Angeles, CA

Alonzo Green

California City, CA

Faily Chavez

California City, CA

Hailey Schneiderman

Sioux Falls, SD

Amanda Acosta

Prairie Village, KS

Alysia Peneaux

Sioux Falls, SD

Rodney Rohrbach Jr.

Sioux Falls, SD

Rodney Rohrbach Sr.

Chamberlain, SD

Isaiah Croom

Los Angeles, CA

Brett Berglund

Sioux Falls, SD

Brandy Christman

Aberdeen, SD

Heather Downey

Sioux Falls, SD

Alexis Mertens

Slayton, MN

Ashley Mortimer

Lennox, SD

Kenneth Johnson

Los Angeles, CA

Jeffrey Skannal

Las Vegas, NV

Jordon Harris

Sioux Falls, SD

Morgan Mentele

Sioux Falls, SD

Kyle Heinemann

Sioux Falls, SD

Kyle Schryvers

Sioux Falls, SD

Nicole Kritz

Sioux Falls, SD

Jordan Reese

Sioux Falls, SD

Allen Shropshire

Sioux Falls, SD

Joshua Weisser

Sioux Falls, SD

“This was a major bust of a significant figure in the lurid underworld of illegal drugs. The Trump Administration has designated fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality in extremely small amounts. In its pure powder form, it truly is a chemical weapon. If a member of your family used fentanyl in Sioux Falls over the past few years, this defendant is one of the primary drug dealers likely to have brought it here.”

                                                                   — U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Harris jury verdict)

Investigating Agencies

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF); Sioux Falls Police Department; South Dakota Highway Patrol; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Each of these cases has been prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen handled the investigatory stage of some of the prosecutions.

1. JUAN SERTUCHE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
   Two-Decade Cartel-Sourced Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Pipeline into Western South Dakota Shut Down

Overview of the Organization

Juan Sertuche, age 43, of Denver, Colorado, led a drug distribution conspiracy spanning more than two decades from approximately 2002 through September 2023. Sertuche was sourced by a Mexican cartel and brought between 30 and 50 pounds of methamphetamine into South Dakota every other week, providing hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to multiple sub-distributors for further distribution in the Rapid City area and the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Investigators linked Sertuche to a traffic stop that uncovered 19 pounds of methamphetamine intended for distribution in western South Dakota. He was arrested in September 2023 after another traffic stop in Jackson County, where officers found approximately 1,500 fentanyl pills. Even after his arrest, Sertuche continued coordinating drug deals from custody and directed others to collect firearms to trade for drugs. Law enforcement recovered several weapons, including two fully automatic machine guns, before they could be exchanged.

Scope of Trafficking

• Hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine over the duration of the conspiracy
• Tens of thousands of fentanyl pills
• Source of supply traced to Mexican cartel
• Continued drug coordination and firearms trafficking after arrest

Indictments and Prosecutions

The investigation produced parallel federal and state prosecutions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the top tier of the organization, resulting in 10 convictions and federal prison sentences, while additional DTO members were prosecuted in state court.

Federal Defendants

Juan Sertuche

Denver, CO

Veronica Ortega

Box Elder, SD

Shauntel Shangreaux

Pine Ridge, SD

Paige Sierra

Rapid City, SD

Jackie Corean

Black Hawk, SD

Jenna Lee Holzer

Box Elder, SD

Darin Wherley

Black Hawk, SD

Monique Merrival

Greeley, CO

Shelina Martinez

Denver, CO

Daniel Sandoval

Denver, CO

“We may never know the true depths of the devastation, suffering, and loss inflicted on our communities by the methamphetamine, fentanyl, and automatic weapons trafficked and sold by this defendant. But we will do our best to hold this profiteer of misery fully accountable and ensure he receives a federal prison sentence that will put him out of that business for a long time.”

                                              — U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Sertuche conviction at trial)

Investigating Agencies

South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI); Pennington County Sheriff’s Office; Rapid City Police Department; South Dakota Highway Patrol; Wyoming State Highway Patrol; North Metro Denver Drug Task Force; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS); and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen, Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges.

1. MATTHEW SHADE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
   Arizona-Sourced Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Operation Trafficking 200 Pounds into Sioux Falls Area Dismantled

Overview of the Organization

Matthew Shade, age 34, of Tea, South Dakota, served as the local leader of a drug trafficking organization that obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources in Mexico who then arranged for the drugs to cross the border and be delivered to co-conspirators in Arizona for distribution throughout the Sioux Falls area. The organization received drugs both through the U.S. Mail and through cross-country car deliveries by a supplier traveling from Arizona to South Dakota.

In December 2024, investigators seized a package containing over four pounds of methamphetamine. Postal Inspectors, working with the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, also seized two parcels sent from Sioux Falls to Arizona that contained over $26,000 in cash, as well as a separate package bound for Sioux Falls containing 144 grams of fentanyl powder. After identifying that Shade’s supplier was traveling by car to South Dakota, investigators arranged for the South Dakota Highway Patrol to conduct a traffic stop during which a trooper located approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine and over 2,000 fentanyl pills concealed in the vehicle. At Shade’s residence in Tea, investigators found 80 grams of methamphetamine, 22 fentanyl pills, and other narcotics.

Scope of Trafficking

• Approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine trafficked to the Sioux Falls area
• Significant quantities of fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder
• Multiple seizures of bulk cash being routed back to Arizona suppliers

Indictments and Prosecutions

To date, 13 defendants have been indicted in connection with the Shade organization, including Matthew Shade himself, nine South Dakota members operating beneath him, and two Arizona-based defendants representing the supply chain. Nine defendants have been convicted, with two of those defendants still awaiting sentencing; four additional defendants have pending trial dates. Regarding those four defendants, as with any pending criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  

Federal Defendants

Matthew Shade

Tea, SD

Sean David Blanchfill

Tea, SD

Damian Roy Webster

Glendale, AZ

Alex Geoffrey Lang

Sioux Falls, SD

Carey Adam Ludens

Crooks, SD

Robert Duane Kent, Jr.

Sioux Falls, SD

Michael Lee Terveen

Sioux Falls, SD

Kourtney Leigh Lang

Sioux Falls, SD

Lorenzo Portillo

Sioux Falls, SD

John Stanford Roth

Phoenix, AZ

Julia Diane Pewo

Sioux Falls, SD

Cory Wayne Nohava

Sioux Falls, SD

Ryan Richard Tulio

Tea, SD

“This was another skillfully managed takedown of a serial drug dealer and his operation by the dedicated officers on the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, with a strong assist from the Criminal Investigations Unit of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  In all likelihood, the fentanyl and methamphetamine seized from this criminal’s operation would have killed some people who are alive right now in Sioux Falls. This investigation, prosecution, and substantial federal prison sentence has given them another chance at life. I will never stop being grateful for that.”

                                                     — U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Shade sentencing)

Investigating Agencies

Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF); Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office; South Dakota Highway Patrol; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges, Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce.

1. DARREL DEVORCE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
   Five-Year California-to-South Dakota Methamphetamine Pipeline Dismantled

Overview of the Organization

Darrel Devorce, age 57, of San Jacinto, California, ran a large methamphetamine trafficking organization for approximately five years, sourcing methamphetamine from California to co-conspirators in Sioux Falls beginning around 2018 and continuing into 2023. Devorce arranged for methamphetamine from California to be delivered to co-conspirators in South Dakota using various couriers and directed others to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds using Cash App, Western Union, and Zelle. The money transfers were designed to conceal both the source of the proceeds and Devorce’s involvement in the conspiracy.

Scope of Trafficking

• Approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine trafficked into South Dakota
• Over $700,000 laundered through the organization
• Five-year operational period (approximately 2018–2023)

Indictments and Prosecutions

The Devorce investigation has resulted in convictions and sentences of 14 defendants in federal court.

Federal Defendants

Darrel Devorce

San Jacinto, CA

Maurice Logan

Corona, CA

Katrina Marie Green

Sioux Falls, SD

Janet Denise Mallet

Sioux Falls, SD

Frank Cortez Baker

Sioux Falls, SD

Tara Dionne Clayton

Sioux Falls, SD

Amber Louise Justus

Sioux Falls, SD

Gregory Henderson

Sioux Falls, SD

Billy Dickinson

Sioux Falls, SD

Gregory Lamar Bell

Sioux Falls, SD

Kurtis Duke

Sioux Falls, SD

Julia Precious Ballansaw

Decatur, GA

Destiny Canty

Riverside, CA

Nicole Dorrough

San Jacinto, CA

“Devorce is a longtime meth dealer responsible for shipping that poison into South Dakota since at least 2018. He will now be separated from the rest of society for most of the rest of his life.”

                                                    — U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Devorce sentencing)

Investigating Agencies

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF); South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).

These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb.

Why This Matters

These four organizations represent fundamentally different models of drug trafficking: a long-running, cartel-sourced pipeline from Mexico through Colorado (Sertuche); a multi-year California-to-South Dakota methamphetamine operation (Devorce); a sophisticated, multi-method California- and Nevada-based operation that introduced powder fentanyl to Sioux Falls (Harris); and an Arizona-sourced operation moving narcotics into the Sioux Falls suburbs (Shade). Together they illustrate how out-of-state suppliers, usually with cartel ties, continue to target South Dakota communities, and how federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners are responding.

Fentanyl in particular poses a grave and growing threat. The Harris organization was the first known to introduce powder fentanyl to the Sioux Falls market, a substance lethal in microscopic amounts. The dismantling of these organizations and the substantial federal prison sentences obtained have meaningfully disrupted the flow of these drugs into South Dakota and saved lives.

These results, however, mark the beginning of a sustained effort, not the end of it. Additional defendants in these four prosecutions remain pending trial or pending sentencing. New investigations and new indictments are ongoing, and the work done in taking down these four drug trafficking organizations reflects only a portion of the total felony drug convictions secured by this office over the past year. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota intends to continue its aggressive use of federal prosecution against any drug trafficking organization that targets South Dakota communities, and to do so until the supply networks reaching into this State have been dismantled.

A Coordinated, Multi-Agency Effort

These prosecutions were the product of sophisticated, long-term investigations conducted by federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, many of which collaborate through long-standing drug task forces operating throughout South Dakota.  The cases reflect the strength of the multi-agency model in which federal and state investigators, prosecutors, postal inspectors, financial crimes specialists, state troopers, tribal law enforcement, and local police and sheriff’s offices each contributed to building cases capable of holding the highest-level traffickers accountable.

Task Forces and Agencies Involved Across the Four Prosecutions

• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
• U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
• Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)
• U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Bureau of Indian Affairs-Division of Drug Enforcement (BIA-DDE)
• South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI)
• South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP)
• Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF)
• Sioux Falls Police Department
• Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office
• Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET)
• Pennington County Sheriff’s Office
• Rapid City Police Department
• Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS)
• North Metro Denver Drug Task Force
• Wyoming State Highway Patrol

Part of a National Strategy: South Dakota and the Nationwide Effort to Eradicate Cartels and Drug Trafficking

These four DTO takedowns are not isolated victories. They are part of the most comprehensive, whole-of-government campaign to dismantle drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations in modern American history. Beginning on his first day back in office, President Trump set in motion a sweeping series of executive actions, designations, task force structures, and policy directives intended to do what no prior administration has attempted at this scale: achieve the total elimination of the cartels and the eradication of illegal drug trafficking on American soil.  To accomplish this directive, the United States government is utilizing every tool at its disposal: law enforcement, addiction treatment and counseling, border security, trade, the banking system, international diplomacy, and, where authorized, military action.

South Dakota’s prosecutions of the Harris, Devorce, Sertuche, and Shade organizations are an integral part of that national strategy. Each of these cases reaches back, ultimately, to out-of-state and often cartel-connected sources of supply. Each illustrates how the national framework set in Washington translates into convictions, prison sentences, and lives saved in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, the communities of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and across all of South Dakota.

We Are Only Getting Started

New indictments are being returned by federal grand juries on a routine basis. New investigations, including investigations targeting the out-of-state and cartel-connected suppliers above the local distribution networks already dismantled, are underway. Every prosecution that produces a cooperator opens a door to the next organization.

At the national level, the trajectory is the same. The Homeland Security Task Force model, the FTO designation regime, and the consolidated Operation Take Back America framework are all permanent fixtures of federal law enforcement. The Administration has made clear, repeatedly and at the highest level, that the goal is not the disruption of cartels and trafficking organizations, but their total elimination. That work will continue, in South Dakota and across the country, until that goal is achieved.

To the traffickers, distributors, money launderers, and out-of-state suppliers still operating in or targeting South Dakota: the message from this U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal, state, local, and tribal partners is direct. The cases described in this report are not the end of the work. They are the beginning. Anyone who continues to bring methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, or other deadly drugs into South Dakota communities should expect the same fate as the defendants identified above: federal indictment, federal conviction, and a substantial federal prison sentence.

About Operation Take Back America

Many of these prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the U.S. Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Joseph Darrell Peterson, Jr., age 47, of Brookings, South Dakota (formerly of Veblen, South Dakota) of two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen, South Dakota. 

Each conviction carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 30 years and a possible maximum term of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine; upon release from prison, Peterson will be on supervised release for at least 5 years and possibly up to life.  He must also pay $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and restitution to the victim may also be ordered. 

The investigation discovered that over the course of 13 years, in multiple states, and specifically in 2010 through 2012 while living on the Lake Traverse Indian Reservation, in Veblen, South Dakota, Peterson engaged in repeated penetrative sexual acts with a child who was under 12 years old.  In 2023, that child had the courage to come forward to law enforcement and an investigation ensued. Peterson was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024 and convicted June 17, 2025. 

This case was investigated by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Tribal Law Enforcement, South Dakota DCI, and the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person AUSA for the Great Plains Region Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case. 

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.

This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.  The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of victims and their families despite the passage of time.

This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. 

A presentence investigation was ordered, and sentencing is set for September 14, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Summerville, South Carolina, man convicted of Attempted Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026.

Robert DiOrio, age 36, was sentenced to 17.5  years in federal prison, five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, DiOrio must register as a sex offender. 

DiOrio was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 23, 2026.

DiOrio started a conversation on Reddit, a popular communication/posting website, with a person he believed was a 14-year-old girl.  The conversation turned sexual, and he asked the 14-year-old girl to meet up hoping to have a sexual encounter with her.  DiOrio arrived at the meeting location where he was arrested by law enforcement. All along, unbeknownst to him, DiOrio had been communicating with an undercover law enforcement officer. 

This case was brought as part of an undercover operation designed to identify individuals in the community who are seeking to have sex with minors.  The case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Tea Police Department, Rapid City Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and South Dakota Highway Patrol.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case. 

DiOrio was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026. 

Jesse Robert Buskol, 45, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Buskol was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.

On July 30, 2025, law enforcement conducted a parole search of Buskol’s residence and found a semi-automatic pistol. Buskol was prohibited from possessing a firearm as a result of a prior felony conviction for First Degree Robbery. He was on supervised release for a prior conviction at the time of this offense.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell prosecuted the case.

Buskol was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026. 

Eugene Leon Featherman, 37, was sentenced to one year and 11 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Featherman was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 7, 2026.

Featherman was previously convicted of a federal sex offense. Because of his prior conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. Featherman was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided. Nonetheless, from late June through September 2025, Featherman knowingly failed to register and update his registration.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.

Featherman was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. 

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on June 15, 2026. 

Freyane Charley, age 48, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Charley was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 19, 2026.

On November 1, 2024, Charley was staying at a friend’s house in Sicangu Village, within the exterior boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. During the night, Charley began assaulting one of the occupants, who was sleeping. Charley broke the orbital around the victim’s right eye and knocked out two teeth.

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court.

This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.

Charley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota woman convicted of Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026. 

Tiauna Mirage Crow Ghost, age 29, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Crow Ghost was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2025. She pleaded guilty on January 28, 2026.

On September 9, 2025, in McLaughlin, South Dakota, a Bureau of Indian Affairs police officer pulled Crow Ghost over because she was driving a vehicle reported stolen. The officer handcuffed Crow Ghost and placed her in the back seat of his squad car. Crow Ghost became upset and spat on the officer.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

Crow Ghost was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve her federal sentence. 

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a McLaughlin, South Dakota man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon.  The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026. 

Thomas Maurice Cornia, age 20, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Cornia was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025.  He pleaded guilty on February 23, 2026.

Cornia and another young man were embroiled in a long-standing feud.  On the evening of July 5, 2025, they saw one another at a graduation party in Bullhead, South Dakota, and began arguing.  The other man punched Cornia in the face and they began brawling and wrestling on the ground.  Cornia produced a knife and stabbed the other man in the shoulder. 

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court.

This case was investigated by the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

Cornia was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. 

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a South Dakota man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026. 

Adrian Paul Martinez, age 70, was sentenced to five months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. This sentence runs consecutively to a five-month tribal sentence imposed for the same underlying conduct.

Martinez was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in December 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 19, 2026.

Martinez was federally convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Sexual Abuse of a Minor in 1990. As a result, he is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. In February 2022, Martinez registered a Little Eagle, South Dakota address as his primary residence. During the winter of 2024, Martinez stayed 42 nights at the Prairie Knights Casino in Fort Yates, North Dakota. He failed to update his registration to reflect that he habitually lived at the casino despite being directed to do so by law enforcement.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Sex Offender Registration Notification Act Compliance Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

Martinez was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. 

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Rapid City, SD—FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson announced Operation Ballistic Backlog today, an initiative carried out by the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) in partnership with the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Department of Public Safety (OST-DPS), to address a critical need for firearms evidence testing on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This initiative is part of the FBI’s larger, overarching surge of investigative resources to address unresolved violent crime on tribal lands called Operation Steadfast Promise. 

Other initiatives make up parts of Operation Steadfast Promise. For example, FBI surged investigative resources to support Operation Not Forgotten, now in its fourth year. For 2026, Operation Not Forgotten identified a backlog of approximately 500 serviceable firearms in custody of the OST-DPS which had not been entered into the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is a crucial investigative tool managed by ATF that compares spent ammunition casings with other evidence found at crime scenes. NIBIN analyzes microscopic tool marks left on casings by the firearm used to discharge the casing and can match those markings to firearms or other spent casings in evidence, often resulting in investigative leads which may help resolve unsolved gun crimes such as assaults and murders. Since its inception, NIBIN has resulted in more than a million investigative leads on unresolved gun crimes. Many of those leads led to the conviction of drug traffickers, gang members, and murderers. The firearms in OST-DPS custody are being test fired at the OST Criminal Justice Center on Pine Ridge. The resulting casings will be run through NIBIN using the ATF’s Mobile Testing Lab, now at the FBI’s Rapid City Resident Agency during Ballistic Backlog. 

“The FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office serves all of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, including the tribal lands that share the same geography,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Our agents, analysts, and professional support employees work tenaciously to investigate major crimes on tribal lands, including many gun crimes such as major assaults and murder. This year’s initiatives like Ballistic Backlog and Operation Not Forgotten enhance our ability to make meaningful improvements in public safety and violent crime reduction. We appreciate the crucial partnership of ATF and the resources they have brought to bear in this initiative. We are also grateful for the ongoing partnerships with the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and United States Attorney Parsons’ Office which prosecutes the offenders identified by law enforcement investigations on Pine Ridge.”

“NIBIN is one of the most powerful crime gun intelligence tools for law enforcement, and ATF is the agency that operates it nationwide in support of any law enforcement partner that needs it,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Spence Burnett, St. Paul Field Division. “When the FBI came to us and asked for our support on Operation Ballistic Backlog, we didn't hesitate. We brought our NIBIN mobile unit to South Dakota because violent offenders should not be able to hide behind an unsolved case, and we are proud to put that capability to work here in support of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.”

“The Tribe sees firsthand the effects of gun violence on our people,” said Oglala Sioux Tribe Attorney General Jessica Four Bear. “Many in our communities live in continued apprehension and fear from hearing gunshots throughout the night. This is not acceptable, and it is not the Lakota way of life. As part of this coordinated approach, the Tribe is taking steps to address youth gun violence. Our responsibility is to uphold the law in a manner that honors who we are as Lakota people. We will continue to pursue approaches that reduce youth access to firearms, support families, and promote safety across the Reservation. The Tribe calls for cultural support in our homes and families. We encourage all relatives to remind our youth of Lakota values; respect, generosity, courage, and wisdom, and to model these teachings every day. Lateral violence is not the Lakota way of life. Our strength is found in kinship. Community members are encouraged to report concerns, secure firearms responsibly, and engage youth in cultural activities and mentorship. Together, with vigilance, compassion, and cultural grounding, we will ensure safer nights and a stronger future for the Oglala Nation.”

“We hear our relatives’ concerns and we share them. Our officers are committed to a visible, consistent presence, and enforcement that keep our families safe,” said Jason Lone Hill, Chief of Police, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. “Working with our federal partners strengthens our ability to protect the community with our limited resources.” 

“Operation Ballistic Backlog is a promise kept by this Administration to clear the backlog of untested firearms evidence and help deliver timely justice to protect the men, women, and children who live in the Pine Ridge Reservation and across South Dakota. Every unexamined cartridge or casing could hold the key to solving a murder or violent crime, and now—thanks to the leadership of the FBI, ATF, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety—we are going to carefully test every piece of available ballistic evidence and follow the evidence where it leads,” said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons.

In a concrete example of how crucial NIBIN testing is to advancing investigations of gun crimes in this community, last week SAC Dotson announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the murder of six-year-old Logan Warrior Goings. On May 5, 2022. Logan was at a family residence in Oglala, near the community of Pine Ridge, when one or more unidentified assailants shot approximately 14 rounds into the home, killing Logan. NIBIN testing linked a firearm found in another part of the state to the murder. 

Anyone with information on the murder of Logan Warrior Goings or any other major crimes on Tribal lands is urged to call 800-CALL-FBI or submit information to tips.fbi.gov.

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026. 

Xavier Orrin Hinds, 44, was sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Hinds was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2024.  He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.

On October 8, 2024, law enforcement officers discovered Hinds in possession of firearms following an automobile accident on I-229 in Sioux Falls.  Despite being aware he was prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions, Hinds was carrying a pistol on his person and had another handgun inside his car.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sioux Falls Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson prosecuted the case.

Hinds was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.  The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026. 

Kyle Heinemann, 42, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Heinemann was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in May 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026. 

For several months in 2024, Heinemann served as a sub-distributor for a California and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization which transported large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to South Dakota and distributed it in the Sioux Falls area.  Heinemann purchased methamphetamine from the organization, which he then re-sold here. Approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine was attributed to Heinemann at sentencing.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.  The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.  Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children.  The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. 

HSTF Minneapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, USMS, USPIS, SD DCI, SFPD, MCSO, and SDHP with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.

Heinemann was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.  The sentencing took place on June 8, 2026.

Bryan Black Tail Deer, 57, was sentenced to eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Black Tail Deer was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025.  He pleaded guilty on February 12, 2026.

Black Tail Deer was convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor in August 1997 in United States District Court for the District of South Dakota.  In February 2000, Black Tail Deer was convicted of First Degree Sexual Assault in the District Court of Sheridan County, Nebraska.  Based on the nature of the convictions, he is required to register as a sex offender for life under the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). 

In March 2024, Black Tail Deer registered his address at Kyle, SD.  He is required to update his address in May and November of each year based on his birth date.  Black Tail Deer, knowing he was required to do so, did not update his address in May 2024, November 2024, or May 2025.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.  Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.

Black Tail Deer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Sisseton, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Failure to Appear.  The sentencing took place on June 1, 2026. 

Laycie Williams, age 29, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for Possession With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and four years in federal prison for Failure to Appear, with the sentences to be served consecutively for a total of 14 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.  Williams was also ordered to pay $3,968 in restitution and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance stemmed from an incident that occurred in February 2023, in Aberdeen, South Dakota. In the early morning hours of February 26, 2023, Williams and the victim were socializing at a residence in Aberdeen. Co-defendant Carlin Mellette arrived at the residence and provided Williams with three pills containing fentanyl. Williams shared the pills with the victim, who ingested only half of one pill, resulting in the fentanyl overdose death of the victim.  Williams and Mellette were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023.  Williams pleaded guilty on October 21, 2024.

Following her guilty plea, Williams was released on bond pending sentencing.  On May 19, 2025, Williams failed to appear for her scheduled sentencing hearing.  Williams was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025 for Failure to Appear.  She pleaded guilty to that offense on November 3, 2025. 

Mellette pleaded guilty to Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death, and he was sentenced in May 2025 to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

“This is another tragic demonstration of the deadly and horrific nature of illicit fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “The heartbreaking reality is that many of its victims never intended to take it at all.  The victim here took only half the intended dose in one of these illegal pills, manufactured to look like a prescription opioid, and that was the end of her life. One mistake, one counterfeit pill, one irreversible moment can bring death and destruction to any family, in any of our communities, at any time.  I can promise you that this Administration and every level of law enforcement across South Dakota are doing everything possible to dismantle the drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations bringing these poisons into our country.”

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

This case was investigated by the FBI Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Aberdeen Police Department, the Walworth County Sheriff’s Office, the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, the Corson County Sheriff’s Office, the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, the Gettysburg Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.

Williams was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Saint Francis, South Dakota man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer.  The sentencing took place on June 2, 2026. 

Ryan Leading Cloud, age 29, was sentenced to time served through June 12, 2026, equal to approximately seven and a half months in custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Leading Cloud was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.

The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on July 27, 2025, in Todd County, South Dakota, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.  On that date, Leading Cloud was arrested for disorderly conduct, and he was transported to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Adult Correctional Facility. Upon arrival at the Adult Correctional Facility, Leading Cloud spit at a corrections officer, hitting the officer that had transported Leading Cloud.

This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.

Leading Cloud was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on June 1, 2026. 

Alex Montileaux, 32, was sentenced to seven years and seven months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Montileaux was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.

On November 7, 2025, Montileaux was a passenger in a car stopped by the police. A drug dog detected the presence of illegal drugs in the car.  Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found a loaded pistol along with two loaded magazines for the pistol.  The pistol and magazines had previously been reported stolen, and Montileaux was involved in the theft of the pistol.  Montileaux had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year.  Possessing a firearm after such a conviction is a federal felony.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Summerset Police Department, and the Rapid City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

Montileaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Okreek, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm.  The sentencing took place on June 2, 2026. 

Sheldon Denoyer, age 36, was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture of the unregistered firearm was also ordered. 

Denoyer was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.

This conviction stems from an incident that occurred on June 13, 2023, in Mission, South Dakota, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.  On that date, Denoyer was observed standing on a street corner with a short-barreled rifle, firing it into the air.  Denoyer then got into a vehicle and departed the area.  A short time later he was observed exiting the vehicle, leaving the rifle behind, and fleeing from law enforcement.  The rifle was recovered and found to have a barrel length of 11 ¾ inches.  The rifle was not registered to Denoyer in the National Firearm Registration and Transfer record as required by federal law. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.

Denoyer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Straw Purchasing a gun.  The sentencing took place on May 28, 2026. 

Loveletta Bissonette, 22, was sentenced to time served, which was over six months of custody, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Bissonette was indicted for Straw Purchasing, False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, and False Statement to a Licensed Firearm Dealer by a federal grand jury in October 2025.  She pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026.

Loveletta Bissonette schemed with Dakota Moore to buy a gun for Moore, who had been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing firearms.  The purpose of their scheme was to have Bissonette buy the firearm because, as a prohibited person, Moore could not.  Bissonette first tried buying a firearm from one business. That business became suspicious that Bissonette was buying the firearm for another person and refused to sell a firearm to her.  Bissonette then went to another store and successfully bought a firearm.  To do so, Bissonette lied by certifying the gun was for herself, when in truth it was for Moore.  It is a violation of federal law to knowingly purchase a firearm for a person who is prohibited from possessing firearms.  This is known as a straw purchase.  Within a week, law enforcement responded to a gunshot report associated with a vehicle that Bissonette was driving.  Law enforcement officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop on this vehicle and discovered Moore in the backseat in possession of the firearm Bissonette had bought for him.

“This case should serve as a warning,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “Don’t allow yourself to be used by others or get caught up in their criminal activities.  It is a federal crime for a convicted felon to have a gun, and if you buy a gun in order to give it to a felon, you will find, in short order, that you are now a convicted felon yourself.”

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Nigerian man convicted of Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents.  The sentencing took place on May 20, 2026. 

Atuchukwu Markrufus Onyeanusi, 32, was sentenced to time served—just under six months of custody—followed by one year of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Onyeanusi was indicted for Fraud and Misuse of Visas, Permits, and Other Documents; False, Fictitious, Fraudulent Document or Writing; and Aggravated Identity Theft by a federal grand jury in December 2025.  He pleaded guilty on February 27, 2026.

Onyeanusi is an alien with lawful permanent status to be in the United States. On November 10, 2025, law enforcement in Oklahoma conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle Onyeanusi was driving for speeding.  Onyeanusi possessed a Texas commercial driving license with his image but another person’s name.  Onyeanusi also possessed an employer’s identification for Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board located in Rapid City, South Dakota, with the same false name. This ID described Onyeanusi’s position as a “Cyber Threat Analyst.”  Onyeanusi used the false Texas CDL, along with a false Social Security card with the same false name, to gain employment at Great Plains Tribal Leaders’ Health Board. Onyeanusi also falsely asserted on an employment immigration form that he was a United States citizen.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). 

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Craig County Sheriff’s Office in Vinita, Oklahoma.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026. 

Anthony Braden Jewett, 31, 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.

Jewett was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.

On New Years Day, 2025, Sioux Falls Police responded to a report of a shooting at an apartment building in town.  Upon arrival, they found a male victim with a gunshot wound to his leg.  Investigation revealed the victim had gone to the door of Jewett’s apartment to confront him about a previous incident.  During the altercation, Jewett produced a handgun and shot the victim in the leg.  Jewett is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has multiple prior felony convictions. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.

Jewett was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting a Federal Officer and Threatening a Federal Officer.  The sentencing took place on May 8, 2026. 

Franklin Long Black Cat, 32, was sentenced to serve three years and five months in federal prison for the Assaulting a Federal Officer conviction to run concurrently with the Threatening a Federal Officer conviction, followed by three years of supervised release.  Long Black Cat was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Long Black Cat was indicted for Assaulting a Federal Officer and two counts of Threatening a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury in November 2025.  He was found guilty following a two-day jury trial on January 29, 2026.

On November 18, 2025, Long Black Cat was in the custody of the United States Marshals Service at the federal courthouse in Rapid City in connection with a court hearing.  Long Black Cat spit in the face of one Deputy United States Marshal and threatened to shoot two other Deputy United States Marshals.

This case was investigated by the FBI.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. 

Long Black Cat was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a Peever, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding.  The sentencing took place on June 1, 2026. 

Brandon Jared St. John, age 45, was sentenced to six years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $125 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

St. John was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025.  He pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025.

On July 28, 2021, St. John assaulted Crystal Diane White by kicking her with boots, which constituted a dangerous weapon. St. John’s intent was to cause White physical harm.  At the same time, St. John also assaulted Shelby Candace Renville by striking, beating, and wounding her.  Both victims sustained bodily injuries because of St. John’s conduct.  

The assaults took place in the tribal community of Sisseton, South Dakota. This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal Court as opposed to State Court.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate’s Law Enforcement office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.

St. John was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. 

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Ryan Nigro, age 34, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  The verdict was returned on June 4, 2026.

The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of up to life, and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. 

Nigro was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. 

Nigro started a conversation on Reddit, a popular communication/posting website, with a person he believed was a 12-year-old girl.  The conversation turned sexual, and he asked the 12-year-old girl to meet up hoping to have a sexual encounter with her.  Nigro arrived at the meet location where he was arrested by law enforcement. All along, unbeknownst to him, Nigro had actually been chatting with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 12-year-old girl. 

This case was brought as part of an undercover chat operation designed to identify individuals in the community who are interested in having sex with minors.  The case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Watertown Police Department, Tea Police Department, Rapid City Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and South Dakota Highway Patrol.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth E. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case. 

A presentence investigation was ordered; a sentencing date will be set at a later time.  The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann, has sentenced a man from Fargo, North Dakota, convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.  The sentencing took place on June 1, 2026. 

William Dean Locke, 38, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Locke was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025.

Locke was previously convicted of a federal sex offense.  Because of his conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender.  Locke was aware of his obligation to register and to keep his registration current with officials within the county in which he resided.  Nonetheless, from July through late August 2025, Locke knowingly failed to register and update his registration.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.

Locke was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence. 

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from Agency Village, South Dakota, convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death.  The sentencing took place June 1, 2026. 

Canaan Renville, 27, was sentenced to 21 years and 10 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.

Renville was indicted for of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death by a federal grand jury in May 2025.  He pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025.

On October 9, 2024, law enforcement responded to a residence in Sisseton, where they found a deceased male victim in the living room of his apartment. Near the victim’s body was a small piece of aluminum foil with trace amounts of fentanyl powder.  An autopsy confirmed the victim’s cause of death as fentanyl toxicity.  A search of the victim’s cell phone revealed a series of messages between him and Renville indicating that the victim had been purchasing fentanyl from Renville. The messages showed that the victim had purchased fentanyl from Renville only hours before his death. Investigators executed a search warrant on Renville’s residence and found both fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder. Renville admitted selling the fentanyl powder to the victim that resulted in the overdose and death.

“At the Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, we depend on strong partnerships to confront the fentanyl crisis,” said Deputy Associate Director Tom Atkinson. “The significant sentence in this case reflects the deadly harm caused by fentanyl and highlights our outstanding partnerships with the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribe.”

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the FBI, the Sisseton Police Department, and the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribal Law Enforcement.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.

Renville was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Receipt of Child Pornography.  The sentencing took place on June 1, 2026. 

On each charge, Brockton Dominquez, 28, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Each sentence was ordered to run concurrently with the other for a total of 20 years.  Dominquez was also ordered to pay restitution of $10,000 to a victim of his child pornography offense.  

Dominquez was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury in August 2024 and February 2026.  He pleaded guilty on February 17, 2026.

On July 12, 2024, Dominquez used his Facebook account to begin an online conversation with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl but was, unbeknownst to Dominquez, an undercover police officer.  On August 2, 2024, Dominquez reinitiated conversation with the girl and made arrangements to meet with who he believed would be the 14-year-old girl at West Middle School in Rapid City.  Dominquez arrived only to find police officers on scene to arrest him.  

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 the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.  Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case. 

Dominquez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

SIOUX FALLS – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that the District of South Dakota has recognized Federal Bureau of Investigation Victim Specialist Gayle Scott as a “Hometown Hero” for her career serving crime victims in South Dakota.  Ms. Scott has served with the FBI for 24 years.  Prior to her federal service, she worked with crime victims in a similar role with the Minnehaha County State’s Attorney Office.  Ms. Scott brings unique qualities to this work, day in and day out. She exudes warmth and compassion, provides comfort and support, and respectfully encourages participation in the criminal justice process. Throughout her years of service,

 Ms. Scott has worked with crime victims in hundreds of cases, helping them through difficult investigations and trials. Ms. Scott’s work has directly resulted in victims finding the courage necessary to bring justice to dangerous perpetrators, thereby making our communities safer for all.   

Ms. Scott was honored during an award presentation held Monday at the United States Attorney’s Office in Sioux Falls.

“Gayle Scott is most deserving of this high honor for her tireless work with victims of crime over many years,” said U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons.  “With compassion and dignity, she has stood with countless victims and their families, listened to them, lifted them up, and helped them find their voice in order to bring justice to those who have harmed them.   It is a true honor to recognize, thank, and celebrate Gayle for her outstanding service to the people of the District of South Dakota.  She is truly our Hometown Hero.”

“Victim Specialist Scott has dedicated herself, personally and professionally, to the victims of federal crime for the past 24 years,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Her exceptionally dedicated and always humble service to crime victims and witnesses in South Dakota is almost always done behind-the-scenes, but her work is an integral part of the FBI’s mission: to protect the public and ensure justice for all. I thank Gayle and all of the FBI’s dedicated Victim Specialists for the work they do every day to serve victims and survivors.”

This award was presented as part of the Department of Justice’s Freedom 250 initiative, a nationwide effort in which United States Attorneys’ Offices across the country recognize individuals whose service, courage, leadership, and commitment have made a meaningful impact in their communities in advance of America’s 250th Anniversary.

The award presentation was attended by members of the United States Attorney’s Office, District of South Dakota, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Ms. Scott’s family.   

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man and woman for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.

Misty Standing Bear, age 49, and Mason Big Crow, age 52, were indicted in May 2026.  Both appeared last week before United States Magistrate Judge Mark W. Haigh and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years custody up to life in federal prison, a $10,000,000 fine, or both, at least five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered. 

Beginning at least in 2021, Standing Bear and Big Crow engaged in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl in and around the Pine Ridge Reservation and the Rapid City area.  In a conspiracy spanning several years, the defendants traveled to other states to purchase thousands of counterfeit M/30 fentanyl pills and trafficked the fentanyl to South Dakota for further distribution.  Investigators discovered Standing Bear and Big Crow actively engaged in fentanyl trafficking as recently as May 2026 when Standing Bear traveled to Colorado, at Big Crow’s direction, with the intent to purchase 1,000 counterfeit M/30 fentanyl pills.  Big Crow and Standing Bear paid for at least a portion of the fentanyl they trafficked in South Dakota with tribal funds through fraudulent tribal assistant checks when Big Crow was the treasurer for the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

“We look forward to proving these crimes in federal court and holding these two fentanyl traffickers accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.

 

“Mason Big Crow, already alleged to have committed crimes against his community for personal gain, is now alleged to have conspired to distribute dangerous narcotics to that same community along with his wife Misty Standing Bear,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Fentanyl is a scourge on our communities. The FBI and our federal, state, and tribal partners will work tirelessly to track down and bring to justice anyone who risks the lives and safety of others in order to profit from its distribution.”

The charge is merely an accusation, and Misty Standing Bear and Mason Big Crow are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force.  The Task Force is comprised of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay is prosecuting the case. 

Standing Bear was released on bond pending trial.  Big Crow was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on May 26, 2026. 

Judith Brewer, 40, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Brewer was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in December 2025.  She pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026.

In November 2025, law enforcement responded to a residence in Rapid City after a person reported that Brewer was at her home and unwanted.  Brewer had since fled to another home, where deputies found her hiding along with a bag she had taken from the reporting party.  Brewer was arrested on outstanding warrants and found to be in possession of a 9mm pistol.  Brewer knew she was prohibited from possessing firearms based on her having a prior felony conviction.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.  Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).  Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.

Brewer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation.  The sentencing took place on May 22, 2026. 

Jeremy Old Horse, 40, was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Old Horse was indicted for the charges by a federal grand jury in June 2025.  He pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026.

On January 25, 2025, an Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety officer responded to a residence and observed a female victim who had been recently assaulted.  Old Horse repeatedly used his knee to assault the victim in the face, breaking multiple bones in her face.  Old Horse also strangled the victim during the assault.  The victim advised law enforcement that she had been tortured by Old Horse to find out what information she had provided to law enforcement about an assault that occurred one month before.

“This was a brutal assault,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “We commend the victim’s bravery.” 

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandating certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.

This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

Old Horse was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor.  The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026. 

Jayson “Javi” Gomez, 31, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Forfeiture was also ordered. 

Gomez was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in August 2025.  He pleaded guilty on February 13, 2026.

On August 5, 2025, during the 2025 Sturgis Bike Rally, Gomez initiated communications on MeetMe with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl.  The girl, in fact, was a Rapid City Police Detective operating in an undercover capacity on the Internet-based application, MeetMe, used for dating and “hookups.” Gomez gave his cell number to the undercover persona and started communicating with her through texting.  Gomez told her that they would have “Netflix and chill moments,” which is a slang term for having sexual intercourse while watching a movie. Gomez and the undercover persona made arrangements for him to pick her up at a predetermined location.  When Gomez showed up at the location, he was arrested.  Ultimately, Gomez admitted he intended to, and would have had, sex with the 14-year-old girl had she been a real person.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.  Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case. 

Gomez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.  The sentencing took place on May 26, 2026. 

John Brave Bird, age 52, was sentenced to 10 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.

Brave Bird was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026.  He pleaded guilty on February 25, 2026.

Brave Bird was convicted of Sexual Abuse in United States District Court, District of South Dakota in June 2007.  As a result of his 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 October 2025, Brave Bird updated his sex offender registration to reflect that he was residing at a residence in Sioux Falls.  Brave Bird left that residence in early October and did not update his registration.  An arrest warrant was issued, and on November 25, 2025, Brave Bird was arrested in Sioux Falls.

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. 

This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.

Brave Bird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man and woman, both from Rosebud, South Dakota, following their convictions for Voluntary Manslaughter. 

Jamie Clairmont, a/k/a Jamie Clairmont-Rogers, age 42, pleaded guilty on January 26, 2026.  On May 19, 2026, she was sentenced to five 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.

Keanu Marshall, age 21, pleaded guilty on January 29, 2026.  On May 26, 2026, he was sentenced to five 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. 

Clairmont and Marshall were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. 

The convictions stem from an incident that occurred on April 9, 2024, in Rosebud, South Dakota, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.  On that date, the victim, an adult male, was walking when he confronted a group of people.  He picked up a piece of wood and swung it at Clairmont.  Clairmont took the piece of wood and struck the victim with it. Marshall then repeatedly punched the victim, knocking him to the ground.  The victim was hospitalized with traumatic injuries to the head and face, and he passed away on April 19, 2024. 

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.

Clairmont and Marshall were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of their individual sentencing hearings. 

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Denver, Colorado, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.  The sentencing took place on May 22, 2026. 

Juan Sertuche, 43, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison on the charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl charges and five years in federal prison on the firearm charge.  The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively. Sertuche was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following service of his term of imprisonment, and to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. 

Sertuche was indicted for all three charges by a federal grand jury in June 2025 and was subsequently convicted by a federal trial jury of all charges following a three-day jury trial in January of this year.

Between 2002 and September 2023, Sertuche led a drug distribution conspiracy and provided approximately 500 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 33,000 fentanyl pills to multiple sub-distributors to be further distributed in the Rapid City and Pine Ridge areas of South Dakota.  On one occasion, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of couriers who Sertuche had directed to travel from Denver to the Rapid City area. During the traffic stop, law enforcement discovered 19 pounds of methamphetamine intended to be further distributed in the Rapid City area.  In September 2023, Sertuche was arrested following a traffic stop in Jackson County where he was found to be in possession of approximately 1,500 fentanyl pills that he intended to further distribute. 

Following his arrest, Sertuche continued to direct others he was conspiring with to continue the drug distribution efforts, including by collecting money and making trips to Denver to pick up methamphetamine and fentanyl.  Sertuche also directed another person on several occasions to collect numerous firearms that were part of his drug dealing to Denver to be traded for methamphetamine.  Law enforcement was able to recover those firearms, including two fully automatic machine guns, before they could be taken and used as currency for drugs.

This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Wyoming State Highway Patrol, and the North Metro Denver Drug Task Force.  Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

Sertuche was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Charles B. Kornmann sentenced a Watertown, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.  The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.

Kyle Ashton Carpenter, 26, was sentenced to a term of 12 months in custody, which he had served since his arrest in May 2025, as well as three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Carpenter was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025.  He pleaded guilty on October 8, 2025.

Carpenter was found in possession of a handgun following an incident in early May 2025.  He is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of his prior felony conviction for assaulting a law enforcement officer.  He was aware of his prohibition, yet he purchased a handgun and used it at a firing range.  The handgun was seized and it will be forfeited.

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.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.

Carpenter was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

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 Second Degree Murder, Commission of a Crime of Violence While Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, Robbery, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.

Frank White Thunder, age 38, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $600 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

White Thunder and co-defendants Jesse White Thunder, age 41, and Michael Leader Charge, age 25, both also of Mission, were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.

On October 6, 2025, Jesse White Thunder and Michael Leader Charge each pleaded guilty to Accessory After the Fact to Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. Both men were sentenced on February 17, 2026.  Jesse White Thunder was sentenced to three years and five 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.  Michael Leader Charge was sentenced to six 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.

Frank White Thunder proceeded to a federal jury trial that concluded on January 30, 2026.  At trial, the evidence established that on the evening of October 22, 2024, Michael Leader Charge drove Frank White Thunder and Jesse White Thunder to a residence in the Antelope housing community, near Mission, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.  Frank White Thunder confronted the victim outside the residence and stabbed him in the torso with a martial-arts style sword, mortally wounding the victim. Jesse White Thunder was standing nearby and immediately took from the victim’s pockets two imitation pistols. Surveillance video showed the defendants’ vehicle leaving the scene and all three men were located the next day.

Frank White Thunder was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in 2008.  As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of any change in residence.  At the time of the murder, he had an active federal arrest warrant for failing to register as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the United States Marshals Service, and the FBI.  Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.   

Frank White Thunder, Jesse White Thunder, and Michael Leader Charge were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of their individual sentencing hearings.

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography.  The sentencing took place on May 19, 2026.

Eli Poorman, 20, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Forfeiture was also ordered.

Poorman was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in August 2024.  He pleaded guilty on January 5, 2026.

On August 3, 2024, during the 2024 Sturgis Bike Rally, Poorman used his Reddit account to begin chatting with someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl but was, unbeknownst to Poorman, an undercover police officer.  Poorman arranged to meet with what he believed would be a 13-year-old girl at his apartment to have sex in exchange for money.  The same day, Poorman exited his apartment building in south Rapid City to meet with the undercover persona and was arrested by law enforcement officers.  Later, investigators learned Poorman had for the previous six months been communicating on the internet with minor aged girls sending them explicit photographs of himself and seeking, in return, sexually explicit photographs of the young girls.

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 the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office.  Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.

Poorman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a South Dakota man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.

Jeremy David Red Bear, 33, was sentenced to one year and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Red Bear was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in March 2025.  He pleaded guilty on September 29, 2025.

Red Bear is required to register as a sex offender, which entails periodic in-person registration. On October 23, 2024, his compliance officer directed Red Bear to verify his registration in person by October 30, 2024. Red Bear did not do so until his arrest on January 27, 2025.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act Compliance Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

Red Bear was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of First Degree Felony Murder, Assault With Intent to Commit Arson, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Arson.  The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.

Reno Rondeau, age 52, was sentenced to serve the remainder of his life in federal prison for the convictions and ordered to pay $400 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Rondeau was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024.  He was found guilty of the charges following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City on February 5, 2026.

In October 2024, Rondeau intentionally set fire to his brother’s residence near Manderson, South Dakota.  When he set the fire, Rondeau knew the home was occupied by his brother and his brother’s friend, Tanya White Butterfly.  Sadly, Ms. White Butterfly, a former correctional officer with the Oglala Sioux Tribe, perished in the fire.  While Rondeau’s brother, John Rondeau, Sr., ultimately escaped the fire, he sustained burn injuries while trying to save White Butterfly’s life. The residence was completely destroyed in the fire.

“This was a truly horrific crime and we grieve for the victims and their loved ones,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “Life in prison was the maximum punishment allowable by law in these circumstances, and we are grateful to the Court for this sentence.  Although Reno Rondeau will spend the rest of his life in a federal prison cell, it still somehow does not seem nearly long enough.”

"While no prison term can fill the void left in the lives of Ms. White Butterfly's family, we hope they will feel a sense of justice having been served, through this sentence," said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. "Reno Rondeau will now spend the rest of his life in federal prison where he rightly belongs. FBI Agents, Analysts, and professional staff work tirelessly to find justice for victims of violent crimes and protect our communities. I offer our deepest sympathies to both victims of this horrendous crime and their families."

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.

The Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen and Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox handled the prosecution.

Rondeau was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. 

ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a South Dakota man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.

Gaylan George Little Eagle, age 42, was sentenced to five 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.

Little Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025.  He pleaded guilty on September 29, 2025.

On August 25, 2024, Little Eagle had sexual intercourse with an unconscious guest on a couch at a house party in McLaughlin, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.  Another attendee caught Little Eagle in the act and stabbed him in the back as Little Eagle departed.  The victim had no idea what happened to her when she awoke.

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 Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.

Little Eagle was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his federal sentence.