EAGLE BUTTE, SD – Ree Amber Eagle Staff, 34, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, is headed to federal prison after admitting to peddling methamphetamine on the Cheyenne River Reservation. U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange handed down the sentence on April 17, 2017, marking the culmination of a case brought by the Department of Justice.
Eagle Staff was convicted on two counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, stemming from incidents on July 28 and 29, 2016. Court records show she distributed methamphetamine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance, to individuals in Eagle Butte. The indictment followed a federal grand jury investigation initiated on August 16, 2016, and she ultimately entered a guilty plea on January 30, 2017.
Judge Lange sentenced Eagle Staff to 16 months in custody, to be followed by four years of supervised release on each count – the sentences to run concurrently. The court also levied a $1,000 fine and a mandatory $200 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. That’s a steep price for pushing poison in a vulnerable community.
The investigation was a joint effort between the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Narcotics Division and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. These agencies worked tirelessly to gather evidence and build a case against Eagle Staff, demonstrating a commitment to tackling the drug problem plaguing the reservation. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case, bringing the full weight of federal law down on the defendant.
Immediately following the sentencing hearing, Eagle Staff was taken into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Her destination: a federal correctional facility where she’ll spend the next 16 months paying for her crimes. This case serves as a warning to anyone looking to profit from the misery of others in South Dakota – federal law enforcement is watching.
The Grimy Times will continue to follow federal crime cases in South Dakota and across the nation. We’re committed to bringing you the unvarnished truth, no matter how ugly it gets. This isn’t just about statistics; it’s about the damage inflicted on families and communities.
Related Federal Cases
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- Big Eagle Gets 10 Years for SD Meth Ring · South Dakota
- Omaha Woman Gets 10 Years for Meth Conspiracy in Iowa · Iowa
- Brian Dewayne Johnson Gets 80 Months for Meth Trafficking · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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