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Sturgis Man Convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance
RAPID CITY, South Dakota – In a federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota, a jury has convicted Todd Deutsch, age 54, of Sturgis, South Dakota, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance following a four-day jury trial.
The charges against Deutsch carry a mandatory minimum of at least 10 years up to a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and/or a $10,000,000 fine, at least five years up to life supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Deutsch was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2020. The evidence at trial showed that for at least two and a half years, Deutsch conspired with multiple other persons in western South Dakota, to obtain large volumes of methamphetamine from places like California, Nevada, and Colorado, and then worked with his co-conspirators to distribute the methamphetamine within the District of South Dakota, primarily in the Black Hills area.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) and the Drug Enforcement Agency. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gina S. Nelson and Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the charges against Deutsch are a serious threat to public safety. Deutsch will face a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, in addition to a $10,000,000 fine.
The case is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement agencies in South Dakota. The Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Drug Enforcement Agency worked tirelessly to bring Deutsch to justice.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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