Fentanyl Kingpin Rysavy Gets 7+ Years

SIOUX CITY, IA – Joshua Rysavy, 35, of South Sioux City, Nebraska, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced today for his role in a large-scale fentanyl distribution network stretching across Iowa and Nebraska. Rysavy received 86 months – over seven years – for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, a sentence handed down by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand in Sioux City.

The investigation, spanning from 2022 to June 2023, revealed Rysavy was responsible for the distribution of approximately 8.5 pounds of pills laced with the deadly opioid. Law enforcement utilized an undercover officer who successfully purchased counterfeit oxycodone pills from Rysavy on multiple occasions. These pills, deceptively marked to resemble legitimate “M30” tablets, were confirmed to contain fentanyl.

A subsequent search warrant executed at Rysavy’s South Sioux City residence uncovered not only evidence related to the drug operation but also several firearms. While the specifics of the firearms remain undisclosed, their presence suggests a potential for escalating violence connected to the drug trafficking. The bust represents a significant seizure of lethal doses, according to federal officials.

“As a result of this investigation, thousands of lethal doses of fentanyl were removed from the streets of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and Sioux City, Iowa,” stated Rafael Mattei, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Omaha Division. “No town in America is immune to this deadly substance and the lethal consequences that can come from its use. We’re grateful for the opportunity to work with our law enforcement partners in both Nebraska and Iowa who strive to achieve the same goal of removing these deadly threats and keeping our communities safe.”

Following his sentencing, Rysavy is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals Service awaiting transport to a designated federal prison. He will serve no parole, but will be subject to a three-year term of supervised release after completing his prison sentence. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood, with investigation led by the Tri-State Drug Task Force – a collaborative effort involving the DEA, Sioux City Police, Homeland Security Investigations, Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office, South Sioux City Police, Nebraska State Patrol, Iowa National Guard, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, U.S. Marshals, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.

This operation falls under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) program, a multi-agency initiative focused on dismantling high-level criminal organizations. Court file information can be found at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl, case file number 24-3027. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa on X at @USAO_NDIA for further updates.