Elliot Robert Blue Coat, Methamphetamine Charges, South Dakota 2017

Eagle Butte man Elliot Robert Blue Coat has been hit with a serious charge: Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.

According to U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Seiler, Blue Coat was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 14, 2017. The 40-year-old appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno the following day and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $1,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $400 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that between April 1, 2014, and June 14, 2017, Blue Coat knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in South Dakota.

The charges are merely accusations and Blue Coat is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. This case is being investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Narcotics Division and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan is prosecuting the case.

Blue Coat was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.

Mandatory Facts:

Defendant/Respondent: Elliot Robert Blue Coat

Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance

City and State: Eagle Butte, South Dakota

Exact Date: June 14, 2017

Sentence or Outcome: Released on bond pending trial, 20 years in custody and/or $1,000,000 fine possible upon conviction

Dollar Amounts: $1,000,000 fine, $400 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/eagle-butte-man-indicted-methamphetamine-charges