37 people indicted in large-scale meth trafficking network
RAPID CITY, S.D. — U. S. Attorney Ron Parsons announced on Wednesday that 37 people have been federally-indicted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces’ Operation Say Uncle. OCDETF plays a key role in the Attorney General’s strategy to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics nationwide by identifying, disrupting, and dismantling drug traffickers, money launderers, and transnational criminal organizations.
The charges allege that defendants conspired with each other to bring multiple pounds of methamphetamine into western South Dakota beginning in 2019 and continuing into 2020.
“These indictments are the result of tremendous cooperation and teamwork between all levels of law enforcement in South Dakota,” Parsons said. “I’m incredibly proud of these dedicated state, local, tribal, and federal officers and agents, and all hands are on deck as we continue to work together to defeat the scourge of illegal drugs that is devastating communities across the State.”
Those federally charged include:
Erick Anaya, age 30, of Archdale, North Carolina
Kelly Barker, age 67, of Rapid City
Ricardo Barragan, age 30, of Aurora, Colorado
Christopher Bell, age 27, of Rapid City
Nathan Bellew, age 39, of Hot Springs
Kelley Blevins, age 42, of Box Elder
Robert Brenden, age 33, of Rapid City
Jennifer Cagle, age 32, of Box Elder
Robert Cagle, age 31, of Box Elder
Uzziel Carillo-Rojas, 33, of Mazatlan, Mexico
Charles Clark, age 42, of Box Elder
Jennifer Clark, age 41, of Box Elder
Mason Colbath, age 29, of Rapid City
Michael Cole, age 30, of Rapid City
Melvin Corbine, age 43, of Rapid City
Justin Coyle, age 34, of Rapid City
Lenin Flores-Herrera, age 27, of Mazatlan, Mexico
Matthew Foster, age 43, of Huron
Luis Gonzalez Meza, age 42, of Tijuana, Mexico
Patrick Greenfield, age 30, of Rapid City
Erin Hunter, age 35, of Rapid City
Rayne Jackson, age 27, of Denver, Colorado
Stephen Jordan, age 30, of Rapid City
Scott Kallstrom, age 40, of Rapid City
Christina Kruse, age 23, of Sioux Falls
Anthony Larson, age 40, of Rapid City
Delanie Martinez, age 43, of Billings, Montana
Michael McLeod, age 41, of Rapid City
Teri Moore, age 36, of Hot Springs
Javier Reyna, age 56, of Oceanside, California
Tiana Rountree, age 24, of Rapid City
Aynjel Schumacher, age 26, of Rapid City
Martin Shaw, age 45, of Rapid City
Michael Sherard, age 34, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota
John Thornberry, age 23, of Spearfish
Darwin Toof, age 30, of Box Elder
Eric Yockey, age 35, of Black Hawk
All but three of the defendants have been arrested. All are pending trial, with the exception of Barker, Bell, Hunter, and Schumacher, who have all pleaded guilty. Bell was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison; Barker, Hunter, and Schumacher are awaiting sentencing.
The South Dakota Attorney General’s Office has also charged Travis Maho, Alex Nimmor, Duane Apple, Keith Laframboise, Orlyn Anderson, Tabitha Range, Chris Luke, Zack Franzen, and Christopher Tomac in connection with this investigation.
These charges are merely accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
In addition, Kansas authorities prosecuted co-conspirator Jennie Wallace, who was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison.
Agencies involved in this tremendous effort include the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Deadwood Police Department, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Spearfish Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety.
Outside agencies that assisted include the Reno County (Kansas) Drug Enforcement Unit, Billings (Montana) Drug Task Force, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Saint Joe (Missouri) Drug Task Force, Utah Highway Patrol, Utah State Bureau of Investigation, Greensboro (North Carolina) Drug Task Force, and the Yuba City (California) NET5 Drug Task Force.
