JULY 2022:
A man from Phoenix, Arizona, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Obstructing Justice by Retaliating Against a Witness, Victim or Informant, has received his punishment from a US District Judge in South Dakota.
William Stevenson, age 56, must spend 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Beginning on an unknown date, and continuing until on or about January 2021, Stevenson and others reached an agreement to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere. Stevenson and other co-conspirators brought eight kilograms of methamphetamine to South Dakota from Arizona to distribute. Stevenson and his co-conspirators were arrested on December 13, 2020, when they tried to sell methamphetamine to an undercover agent. While in jail after the arrest, Stevenson physically assaulted one of his co-conspirators in retaliation for the co-conspirator providing information to law enforcement.
Stevenson’s co-conspirators pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and have also been sentenced in this case. Edwin Donis-Melgar, age 36, of Guatemala, was sentenced on October 12, 2021, and Luis Hernandez Parra, age 35, of Mexico, was sentenced on October 14, 2021. Both Donis-Melgar and Hernandez Parra were sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Manuel Obregon-Robin, age 20, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced on February 28, 2022, to 37 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
APRIL 2022:
A federal jury has convicted 56 year old William Stevenson of Phoenix, Arizona for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Obstruction of Justice by Retaliating Against a Witness, Victim or Informant.
The Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance charge carries a maximum penalty of life in custody and/or a $10 million fine, life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The Obstruction of Justice by Retaliating Against a Witness, Victim or Informant charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crimes Victims Fund.
Court information says beginning on an unknown date, and continuing until on or about January 2021, Stevenson, along with at least one other person reached an agreement to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of a substance containing methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere. During Stevenson’s involvement, he and other co-conspirators brought multiple pounds of methamphetamine into South Dakota for redistribution.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force.
A presentence investigation was ordered. The sentencing date has not been scheduled. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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