Waylon Young Bird, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, South Dakota 2019

A Dupree, South Dakota, man has been sentenced to 136 months in federal prison for his role in a large-scale drug trafficking operation on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.

Waylon Young Bird, age 50, was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance. He was sentenced on May 14, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

The conviction stemmed from incidents that occurred from January 1, 2016, until May 15, 2018, when Young Bird knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation.

The Jury also convicted Young Bird of knowingly and intentionally possessing with the intent to distribute a detectable amount of methamphetamine from a March 9, 2018, traffic stop. During this stop, Young Bird was found to have just under 10 grams of methamphetamine hidden in his sock in eight little baggies.

The investigation was conducted by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.

Young Bird was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service after being sentenced. He was also ordered to pay a fine in the amount of $1,000 and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Additionally, he will be subject to 5 years of supervised release after serving his prison sentence.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/dupree-man-sentenced-drug-charges