⏱ 2 min read
John Parrado, a 38-year-old Arizona man, has been sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in western South Dakota. Parrado pleaded guilty to the crime on January 5, 2026, after being indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He was involved in the distribution of 400 grams of fentanyl in the state, receiving much of his supply through the U.S. mail from out-of-state sources.
The investigation was a joint effort by the Rapid City Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Peterson prosecuted the case, which resulted in Parrado’s sentencing on July 20, 2026.
Parrado’s sentence includes five years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons praised the efforts of law enforcement, saying, ‘This is another step forward in eliminating these deadly substances from our state.’ The sentencing is a significant blow to fentanyl distribution in South Dakota, and a testament to the effectiveness of joint law enforcement efforts.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: South Dakota
- Location: SD
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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