Harold Brewer, Jr., Meth Distribution Conspiracy, South Dakota 2019

A Pine Ridge man has been sentenced to over 11 years in prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy, according to a recent court ruling.

Harold Brewer, Jr., 29, was sentenced to 140 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, as reported by United States Attorney Ron Parsons.

Brewer was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, a charge brought against him by a federal grand jury on November 16, 2016. He also faced charges of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm, both of which he pled guilty to on December 21, 2018.

According to the investigation, Brewer worked with co-conspirators to sell and distribute methamphetamine in Rapid City and on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Additional co-conspirators are pending trials in Rapid City.

Drug trafficking is considered an inherently violent activity, and firearms are often used by dealers to protect their product and cash. The investigation was part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing violent crime and making neighborhoods safer.

The Northern Plains Safe Trails Badlands Task Force investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted it. Brewer was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Mandatory facts: Defendant/respondent name - Harold Brewer, Jr.; Exact criminal charges - Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm; City and state - Pine Ridge, South Dakota; Exact date - June 18, 2019; Sentence or outcome - 140 months in prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment; Dollar amounts - $100.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/pine-ridge-man-sentenced-over-11-years-meth-distribution-conspiracy