RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO.com) — United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that 37 people have been
federally indicted as part of OCDETF Operation Say Uncle. OCDETF stands for
Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, which is a “keystone of the
Attorney General’s strategy to reduce the availability of illicit narcotics
throughout the United States using a prosecutor-led, multi-agency approach to
combat transnational organized crime.” OCDETF identifies, disrupts and
dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, and transnational criminal
organizations.
Federal prosecutors in Rapid City, South Dakota, working cooperatively
with law enforcement agencies across the State, federally charged 37 defendants
with drug-related offenses, despite the challenges imposed on the criminal
justice system and law enforcement officers everywhere by COVID-19. The
South Dakota Attorney General’s Office charged nine persons with state offenses
as part of the same Operation. The charges allege the defendants conspired with
each other to bring multiple pounds of methamphetamine into Western South
Dakota beginning in 2019 and continuing into 2020.
Agencies involved in this effort include the South Dakota Division of
Criminal Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals
Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, Rapid City Police
Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Internal Revenue Service, U.S.
Postal Inspection Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Dakota
Highway Patrol, Deadwood Police Department, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office,
Spearfish Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and Oglala
Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Outside of South Dakota, agencies
assisted from the Reno County (KS) Drug Enforcement Unit, Billings (MT) Drug
Task Force, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation, Saint Joe (MO) Drug
Task Force, Utah Highway Patrol, Utah State Bureau of Investigation,
Greensboro (NC) Drug Task Force, and the Yuba City (CA) NET5 Drug Task
Force.
“These indictments are the result of tremendous cooperation and
teamwork between all levels of law enforcement in South Dakota,” said U.S.
Attorney Parsons. “I’m incredibly proud of these dedicated state, local, tribal,
and federal officers and agents, and all hands are on deck as we continue to
work together to defeat the scourge of illegal drugs that is devastating
communities across the State.”
“Our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s office has been incredibly
successful in this matter,” said David Natvig, Director of the South Dakota
Division of Criminal Investigation. “Their cooperation and assistance have
helped all the law enforcement agencies involved to see the fruits of the hard
work they put into building this case.”
Those federally charged include: Erick Anaya (30, Archdale, NC); Kelly
Barker (67, Rapid City, SD ); Ricardo Barragan (30, Aurora, CO); Christopher
Bell (27, Rapid City, SD); Nathan Bellew (39, Hot Springs, SD); Kelley Blevins
(42, Box Elder, SD); Robert Brenden (33, Rapid City, SD); Jennifer Cagle (32, Box
Elder, SD); Robert Cagle (31, Box Elder, SD); Uzziel Carillo-Rojas (33, Mazatlan,
Mexico); Charles Clark (42, Box Elder, SD); Jennifer Clark (41, Box Elder, SD);
Mason Colbath (29, Rapid City, SD); Michael Cole (30, Rapid City, SD); Melvin
Corbine (43, Rapid City, SD); Justin Coyle (34, Rapid City, SD); Lenin Flores-
Herrera (27, Mazatlan, Mexico); Matthew Foster (43, Huron, SD); Luis Gonzalez
Meza (42, Tijuana, Mexico); Patrick Greenfield (30, Rapid City, SD); Erin Hunter
(35, Rapid City, SD); Rayne Jackson (27, Denver, CO); Stephen Jordan (30, Rapid
City, SD); Scott Kallstrom (40, Rapid City, SD); Christina Kruse (23, Sioux Falls,
SD); Anthony Larson (40, Rapid City, SD); Delaine Martinez (43, Billings, MT);
Michael McLeod (41, Rapid City, SD); Teri Moore (36, Hot Springs, SD); Javier
Reyna (56, Oceanside, CA); Tiana Rountree (24, Rapid City, SD); Aynjel
Schumacher (26, Rapid City, SD); Martin Shaw (45, Rapid City, SD); Michael
Sherard (34, Brooklyn Park, MN); John Thornberry (23, Spearfish, SD); Darwin
Toof (30, Box Elder, SD ); and Eric Yockey (35, Black Hawk, SD). All but three
of the defendants have been arrested. All arrested defendants are pending trial,
with the exceptions of Barker, Bell, Hunter, and Schumacher, each of whom has
pleaded guilty. Bell was sentenced on November 16, 2020, to more than 12 years
in federal prison. Barker, Hunter, and Schumacher are pending sentencing.
These charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed
innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The South Dakota Attorney General’s Office has charged Travis Maho, Alex
Nimmor, Duane Apple, Keith Laframboise, Orlyn Anderson, Tabitha Range,
Chris Luke, Zack Franzen, and Christopher Tomac in connection with this
investigation. Those charges, as well, are merely accusations and the defendants
are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty
Finally, Kansas authorities prosecuted co-conspirator Jennie Wallace, who
was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison.
The case is being prosecuted federally by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn
N. Rich. The state charged defendants are being prosecuted by Assistant
Attorney General Trevor Thielen.
(Aileen Crawford, USASD contributed this report.)
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