Daniel Richards, Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, South Dakota 2018

Rapid City Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

In a harsh blow to the methamphetamine trade in western South Dakota, a 34-year-old Rapid City man was sentenced to 210 months custody in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute the highly addictive substance.

Daniel Richards, a resident of Rapid City, was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and sentenced on June 29, 2018, by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

According to the investigation, Richards conspired and agreed with other persons to intentionally distribute between 5 and 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in western South Dakota as early as May 2017. Additional persons involved in this conspiracy are pending trial.

The case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.

Richards was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

As part of his sentence, Richards will also serve 5 years of supervised release and pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating impact of methamphetamine on our communities and the need for continued efforts to combat this scourge.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/rapid-city-man-sentenced-conspiracy-distribute-methamphetamine-1