Grimy Times has learned that Sean Richard Gross, a 40-year-old man from Phoenix, Arizona, has been sentenced to 26 years and eight months in federal prison for his role in a massive methamphetamine conspiracy in South Dakota. Gross was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Gross was one of several individuals charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He pleaded guilty to the charges on January 17, 2023, and was sentenced by District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier on April 10, 2023.
According to court records, Gross was involved in a scheme to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere. He worked with others to provide methamphetamine to Christopher Daniels in South Dakota, who was previously sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his involvement in the conspiracy.
Gross would send methamphetamine to Daniels through the mail and deliver it to him in person, so that Daniels could further distribute the methamphetamine throughout South Dakota. The proceeds of Daniels’ meth sales in South Dakota were then sent to Brandie Rinnet in Arizona, who accepted and attempted to conceal the transactions on behalf of Gross.
Rinnet, a 41-year-old woman from Bullhead City, Arizona, was also charged in the conspiracy and sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for her role in the money laundering scheme. She was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS Criminal Investigation team, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Moody County Sheriff’s Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Gross and Rinnet were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The investigation and prosecution of this case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to disrupt and dismantle large-scale narcotics trafficking organizations that threaten the safety and well-being of communities across the country.
Related Federal Cases
- Julian Bear Runner, $80K Tribal Embezzlement, South Dakota 2023 · New Mexico
- Tammy Twiss, Access Device Theft, South Dakota 2024 · South Dakota
- Tami Haug-Davis, Making False Statements, South Dakota 2021 · Washington
- Kenneth Orrock, Tax Fraud, South Dakota 2023 · South Dakota
- Shaughnessy, Fentanyl Distribution, South Dakota 2023 · New York
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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