Two Sioux Falls men are staring down a federal prison sentence after being indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute half a kilo or more of cocaine. Juan Antonio Garcia, Jr., 32, and Byron Alexander Perez, a/k/a Kelvin Aquino, 34, were hit with the charge after a months-long investigation led to a grand jury indictment on April 2, 2019.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office confirmed the indictment, alleging that Garcia and Perez knowingly conspired with others—starting at an unknown date and running through at least January 7, 2019—to traffic 500 grams or more of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance. The operation, federal prosecutors say, was no street-level hustle but a coordinated effort with significant reach.
Garcia appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on April 10, 2019. Perez followed on April 24, 2019. Both entered not guilty pleas during their arraignments and were immediately remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. No bond was offered, underscoring the severity of the allegations.
If convicted, each man faces up to 40 years behind bars, a fine of up to $5 million, mandatory life of supervised release, and a $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The court may also impose restitution. The June 18, 2019 trial date looms as their next critical juncture in the federal docket.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation, peeling back layers of what they describe as an organized narcotics network rooted in South Dakota’s largest city. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara P. Nash is handling prosecution, signaling the DOJ’s intent to pursue maximum accountability.
As of now, Garcia and Perez remain presumed innocent. But with a federal indictment, a high-stakes trial on the calendar, and the DEA’s full case locked and loaded, the weight of the justice system is already pressing down hard.
Related Federal Cases
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- Pine Ridge Woman Pleads Guilty in Cocaine Conspiracy · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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