A 30-year prison sentence has been handed down to a Hot Springs man found guilty of conspiring to distribute a controlled substance. Nathan Bellew, 40, received the sentence on October 25, 2021, in a U.S. District Court.
Bellew was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. According to court documents, he brought methamphetamine into South Dakota through arrangements with suppliers in other states. Upon arrival, he further dispersed the drugs in the Rapid City area.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which aims to reduce violent crime. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with prevention and reentry programs for lasting crime reductions.
Nathan Bellew was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following his sentencing. He also received five years of supervised release, a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and $60 in restitution.
The investigation was conducted by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), comprising law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota National Guard, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
The Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) is an interagency task force dedicated to combating narcotics trafficking in the region. The case demonstrates the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat violent crime and protect the community.
Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This case is a prime example of the program’s success in reducing violent crime and keeping communities safer.
Related Federal Cases
- Veronica Ortega, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, South Carolina 2023 · South Dakota
- Camela C. Theeler, Controlled Substance Conspiracy, South Dakota 2026 · South Dakota
- James Eagle, Distribution of a Controlled Substance, South Dakota 2023 · South Dakota
- John Doe, Controlled Substance Violations, South Dakota 2022 · South Dakota
- Juan Antonio Garcia Jr, Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy, South Dakota · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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