Six members of a drug conspiracy based out of the Martin, South Dakota, area and the Pine Ridge Reservation have been convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Four of the members have been sentenced in U.S. District Court, while two more await sentencing. One additional person will stand trial this month (May 2022).
- Shadow Jensen, age 32, Wanblee, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release;
- Beau Imitates Dog, age 40, Martin, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release;
- Frank Milk, age 44, Wanblee, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release;
- and Paul Moore, age 38, Kyle, was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Brett Schrum and Richard Bettelyoun have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
- Co-defendant Tracy Jones has pleaded not guilty and will stand trial in May 2022. She is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
During the course of the conspiracy, pounds of methamphetamine were trafficked into South Dakota, primarily from Colorado. Schrum, of Fort Morgan, Colorado, brought the methamphetamine to various locations in South Dakota, primarily on the Pine Ridge reservation. The other six co-defendants are from South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is comprised of agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs Division of Drug Enforcement, and the Martin Police Department.
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