White River Woman Convicted of Marijuana Conspiracy
A 48-year-old White River woman has been convicted of conspiracy to distribute marijuana in South Dakota. Jo Ann White Buffalo, 48, of White River, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on August 12, 2013, and pled guilty to a Superseding Information that charged her with conspiracy to distribute between 50 and 100 kilograms of marijuana.
White Buffalo’s conviction is part of a larger narcotics trafficking conspiracy that involved several individuals, including Phillip Stands, 50, of Rosebud, Alfred Eagle Deer, Jr., 31, of Rosebud, and Joe Buck Colombe, 34, of Mission. All four individuals have pled guilty to the same charge.
According to court documents, between October 2008 and August 2012, Abraham Romero-Perez obtained between 60 and 80 kilograms (132.28 to 176.37 pounds) of marijuana that had been transported into South Dakota. Romero-Perez then sold or ‘fronted’ pound quantities of marijuana to other persons, including Gloria Barrera, Andrea Barrera, Colombe, and White Buffalo.
The investigation was conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller.
White Buffalo, Colombe, and Eagle Deer were released on bond pending sentencing. Presentence investigations were ordered, and sentencing dates were set for August 19, 2013, for Eagle Deer; October 7, 2013, for Colombe; and October 21, 2013, for White Buffalo.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for White Buffalo and Eagle Deer is 20 years in custody, a $1,000,000 fine, or both; at least 3 years of supervised release; and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The maximum penalty upon conviction for Colombe is 30 years in custody, a $2,000,000 fine, or both; at least 6 years of supervised release; and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The convictions in this case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement to disrupting and dismantling narcotics trafficking organizations in South Dakota.
Related Federal Cases
- Kenel Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Meth · South Dakota
- Eagle Butte Woman Indicted for Methamphetamine Conspiracy · South Dakota
- Utah’s ‘Maniac’ Mendoza Jailed 110 Months for Meth Conspiracy · Utah
- Timothy Conwell Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy · South Dakota
- Laurens Maas Sentenced to 210 Months for Meth Conspiracy · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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