Daniel Navarrette, Meth & Money Conspiracy, South Dakota 2023

SIOUX FALLS, SD – A Los Angeles man is headed to federal prison for a decade and a half after pleading guilty to orchestrating a cross-country methamphetamine distribution and money laundering scheme targeting South Dakota. Daniel Fiero Navarrette, 54, received a 15-year sentence from U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier on February 6, 2023, followed by ten years of supervised release.

The case, spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota, revealed Navarrette brokered a deal in March 2021 to supply at least 500 grams of methamphetamine into the state. Court documents show Navarrette wasn’t just a supplier; he actively connected his South Dakota co-conspirator with other sources to expand the operation, facilitating the flow of multi-pound quantities of the highly addictive drug.

But the operation wasn’t limited to drug trafficking. As part of the conspiracy, Navarrette engaged in money laundering activities, attempting to conceal the illicit profits generated from the methamphetamine sales. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2022 and quickly entered a guilty plea in October of the same year, hoping for leniency that ultimately didn’t materialize.

Federal investigators from a multi-agency task force – including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), IRS Criminal Investigations, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force – painstakingly pieced together the evidence, exposing the scope of Navarrette’s criminal enterprise. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges led the prosecution.

“This sentence sends a clear message that those who seek to profit from the destruction caused by methamphetamine and attempt to hide their ill-gotten gains will be held accountable,” stated U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell in a brief statement. Navarrette was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence. He will also be required to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

The investigation highlights the ongoing struggle to stem the tide of methamphetamine flooding into South Dakota from major trafficking hubs like Los Angeles. While Navarrette is behind bars, authorities acknowledge the fight against drug trafficking is far from over, and ongoing investigations continue to target those responsible for bringing these dangerous substances into the state and profiting from the misery they cause.

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