Martin, SD – A Martin man was sentenced to 18 years in federal custody for his role in a deadly shooting and a methamphetamine trafficking operation, the Grimy Times has learned.
According to court documents, 31-year-old Scott Edison Benson was sentenced on May 24, 2018, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court, to 10 years in federal custody for accessory after the fact to murder and 8 1/3 years for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Benson was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and serve 4 years of supervised release.
The charges stem from a January 2016 conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Martin, Allen, and Kyle areas of the Pine Ridge Reservation. Benson, who distributed at least 350, but less than 500 grams of methamphetamine, was part of the operation until approximately May 30, 2017.
In a separate incident, Benson was involved in a shooting on May 27, 2017, near Sharps Corner, where Christopher E. Janis was killed. Benson, who witnessed the shooting, did not attempt to render aid or contact law enforcement, despite having the firearm used by the shooters.
Benson pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact on January 19, 2018, in an unrelated matter, and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance on the same day. The two men with Benson during the shooting have been indicted and their cases are currently pending.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted both cases, which were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Northern Plains Safe Trails Task Force, Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, and other agencies.
Benson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after the sentencing. The prosecution of Benson and others involved in the methamphetamine trafficking operation is a significant blow to the violence and crime that plague the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Related Federal Cases
- Eagle Butte Meth Dealer & Escapee Gets 25 Months · South Dakota
- Sioux Center Meth Dealer Lopez-Granillo Gets 6+ Years · Minnesota
- Jason Fagin Gets 65 Months for Check Fraud, Meth Payoffs · Minnesota
- Eagle Butte Man Gets 13 Months for Meth House · South Dakota
- Meth King Carey Gets 20 Years · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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