PIERRE, SD – Sarah Jahner Clifford, 45, of Mandan, North Dakota, is facing nearly two decades behind bars after being sentenced for her role in a sprawling methamphetamine distribution network across central South Dakota. Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange handed down a 19-year and seven-month federal prison sentence on September 11th, followed by five years of supervised release. Clifford will also pay a $1,000 fine and $200 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The case, stemming from a federal grand jury indictment in September 2022 and a guilty plea in December of the same year, reveals a conspiracy that stretched from January 2021 to July 2022. Clifford wasn’t just a street-level dealer; she was a key link in a supply chain, sourcing significant quantities of methamphetamine from Denver, Colorado, and funneling it onto the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation and the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Her operation involved multiple co-conspirators who helped distribute the drug throughout the region.
But the drugs weren’t Clifford’s only illicit tools. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) uncovered that Clifford possessed firearms as part of her criminal enterprise. A Stevens Arms shotgun, with a suspiciously short 14-inch barrel, was found unregistered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record – a clear violation of federal law. To add insult to injury, Clifford, as a convicted felon, was already legally prohibited from owning any firearms.
Investigators from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Northern Plains Safe Trains Drug Enforcement Task Force worked alongside ATF agents to dismantle Clifford’s operation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges led the prosecution, building a case that clearly demonstrated the scope of Clifford’s criminal activity and the danger she posed to the community. This wasn’t a victimless crime; the proliferation of methamphetamine has ravaged communities across South Dakota and beyond.
The sentencing is being touted as a win for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence. Officials claim PSN focuses on building trust with communities, supporting local organizations, and strategically targeting enforcement efforts. Whether PSN can truly stem the tide of drug-related crime remains to be seen, but the Clifford case represents a significant blow to one particular trafficking operation.
Clifford was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service and will begin serving her lengthy sentence. The investigation remains open, and authorities haven’t ruled out further charges against other individuals involved in the methamphetamine distribution network. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this story as it develops, exposing the underbelly of federal crime and holding those responsible accountable.
Related Federal Cases
- Sam Boyd, Meth & Gun Trafficking, South Dakota 2023 · Colorado
- Barnson, Meth Trafficking, South Dakota 2023 · North Dakota
- Laurens Maas, Meth Conspiracy, South Dakota · North Dakota
- Candace Crow Ghost, Marijuana Trafficking, South Dakota 2023 · North Dakota
- Jon Cole Clifford, Assault with a Stabbing, South Dakota 2019 · North Dakota
Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Press Release
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