⏱ 2 min read
Kourtney Lang, a 33-year-old Sioux Falls woman, was involved in a massive methamphetamine distribution ring that brought over eight pounds of the drug into South Dakota. As part of the Matthew Shade organization, Lang helped distribute the meth and collected debts from users. The operation, which began to unravel in February 2025, was a key target of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative to dismantle transnational crime organizations.
Lang’s role in the organization included receiving meth shipments from Arizona and then selling the drugs to users in the Sioux Falls area. She pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance on March 2, 2026, and was sentenced to five years and 10 months in federal prison on July 27, 2026.
The investigation was led by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces. The case is a significant victory for law enforcement in the fight against methamphetamine distribution in the Midwest.
Lang’s sentence reflects the severity of the crime and the impact it had on the community. The methamphetamine epidemic has ravaged cities across the country, and Operation Take Back America aims to disrupt the supply chains and bring perpetrators to justice.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Drug Trafficking
- Defendant: South Dakota
- Location: SD
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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