RAPID CITY, SD – Misty Bradford, 48, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, is facing a long stretch behind bars after receiving a 15-year and eight-month federal prison sentence for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken handed down the sentence on January 30, 2023, effectively ending Bradford’s reign as a key player in the Pine Ridge drug trade.
The case, built by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, revealed Bradford wasn’t just a user – she was a supplier. According to court documents, Bradford obtained significant quantities of methamphetamine and pushed it out to other users and dealers within the Pine Ridge area. The investigation began to tighten in June of 2022, culminating in a raid of Bradford’s residence.
The search warrant execution wasn’t a bust; it was a jackpot for investigators. Inside, they discovered drug paraphernalia alongside two safes. One of those safes held the real evidence: 1.53 kilograms of methamphetamine, and a staggering $23,979.00 in cold, hard cash. Prosecutors established Bradford and her network were responsible for moving between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of the deadly drug throughout the duration of the conspiracy. That’s a lot of poison hitting the streets of Pine Ridge.
Bradford was initially indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2022, and ultimately pleaded guilty on September 23, 2022, likely hoping for a lighter sentence. It wasn’t enough. Judge Viken wasn’t buying it, and the court also ordered Bradford to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and forfeit the $23,979.00 seized during the raid. A small consolation for the damage she inflicted on the community.
The Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency operation comprised of the FBI, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, Martin Police Department, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, brought the case to light. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich successfully prosecuted the case, securing the conviction and lengthy sentence.
Following the sentencing, Bradford was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Her days of peddling misery in Pine Ridge are over – at least for the next 15 years and eight months. This case serves as a stark reminder that federal agencies are actively targeting drug traffickers in South Dakota and will pursue lengthy prison sentences for those who profit from addiction.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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