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Balquier, Sinaloa Cartel Link, Among 88 Indicted in SD Drug Sweep
SIOUX FALLS – Eighty-eight individuals are facing federal drug charges in South Dakota following a summer-long crackdown on narcotics trafficking, United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today. The indictments, handed down between April and August 2025, target those allegedly involved in the distribution of cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, substances that continue to poison communities across the state.
Among the arrested is Mario Balquier, a U.S. citizen with deep ties to the notorious Sinaloa Cartel. Balquier, a large-scale methamphetamine dealer, skipped bail and fled to Mexico in 2013 after being initially indicted on federal drug charges. He was recently apprehended with the help of federal agents, marking a significant victory in the ongoing fight against international drug networks operating within South Dakota. The takedown underscores the reach of cartels into the heartland and the dedication of law enforcement to bring them to justice.
The investigation, a coordinated effort between multiple agencies, relied heavily on the work of several multi-agency drug task forces. The Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF), comprised of the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), played a crucial role. So did the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), which includes the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, DCI, the South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP), and the South Dakota National Guard (SDNG). Further bolstering the effort were the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, each with their own unique jurisdictional focus and expertise.
Sixteen of the 88 arrests stemmed from “Operation Snowy Ridge,” a two-day takedown targeting drug traffickers in Western South Dakota. But the indictments represent more than just short-term surges in enforcement. Cases like United States v. Rikki Barrowman, et al., where the defendant pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (150 pounds of methamphetamine) throughout Pierre, Rapid City, and several South Dakota reservations, resulting in a nearly 23-year federal prison sentence, demonstrate the scale of the operation and the severity of the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force.
The prosecution also secured a 25-year sentence in United States v. Guillermo Calderon, et al., where the defendant pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (methamphetamine) within the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City area. The investigation involved a coalition of agencies: the FBI, DEA, BIA-OJS, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth led the prosecution. A further case, United States v. Curtis Cummings, et al., ended with a jury conviction for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (fentanyl) Resulting in Death – a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of the fentanyl crisis.
“Drug traffickers who flood our South Dakota communities with illegal narcotics will be met with the full force of federal prosecution,” stated U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “We will continue to use every legal tool available to ensure drug traffickers face significant sentences in federal prison for endangering our communities and fueling addiction.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office isn’t just seeking convictions; they’re aiming to dismantle the organizations responsible for bringing these drugs into the state, a fight that will undoubtedly continue long after these 88 defendants face justice.
RELATED: Balquier’s Meth Empire: 88 Indicted in South Dakota Drug Sweep
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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