Pine Ridge Man Gets 19 Years for Meth Conspiracy, Firearms Charge

RAPID CITY – A Pine Ridge, South Dakota man has been sent to the slammer for 19 years and seven months after being caught with his hands deep in the meth trade.

Justin Bradford, 46, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person charge. He was also hit with 19 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for the Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance charge. The prison sentences and periods of supervision are to be served concurrently.

Bradford was ordered to pay a total of $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The feds say he’s a convicted felon who wasn’t allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.

Bradford pleaded guilty on March 10, 2024, to the charges which were brought against him by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. The grand jury indicted him for conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine from 2019 through 2022. The feds say Bradford managed and organized at least three individuals involved in the conspiracy.

The search of Bradford’s residence in connection with a homicide that occurred in September of 2022 turned up three firearms and several different kinds of ammunition. The shooter intended on purchasing methamphetamine from Bradford when the shooting took place.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together law enforcement and communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The Department of Justice launched this program in 2021 and it’s all about fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations, and setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Bradford was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.