DECEMBER 2023:
U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments.
Anahi Plascencia Cardona, 34, was sentenced to 22 years and one month in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Anahi’s husband, Salvador Magana Madrigal, age 41, was sentenced on August 7, 2023, to 33 years and four months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Oscar Madrigal, age 30, was sentenced on July 27, 2022, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Oscar Madrigal is Salvador Magana Madrigal’s brother.
Rosa Elena Magana Madrigal, age 65, was sentenced on August 15, 2022, to five years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Rosa is the mother of Salvador Magana Madrigal and Oscar Madrigal.
Maria D. Magana-Zavala, age 53, was sentenced on December 27, 2022, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Magana-Zavala is the sister of Rosa Madrigal.
William Burt Hartwick, age 54, was sentenced on November 21, 2022, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Hartwick is the husband of Magana-Zavala.
All six defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in the summer of 2021. Oscar Madrigal pleaded guilty on April 4, 2022; Rosa Madrigal pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022; William Hartwick pleaded guilty on August 30, 2022; and Maria Magana-Zavala pleaded guilty on October 4, 2022. Salvador Magana Madrigal and Anahi Plascencia Cardona were found guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering following a four-day federal jury trial in Sioux Falls on May 2, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from activities that started when Salvador Madrigal and Anahi Cardona, who are husband and wife, recruited other members of Madrigal’s family to assist them in obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from California and distributing it in Sioux Falls. Salvador Madrigal and Cardona recruited Madrigal’s aunt and uncle, Maria Magana Zavala and William Hartwick, to transport methamphetamine by vehicle from California. Eventually, Salvador’s brother Oscar became involved in the conspiracy by assisting his brother in transporting and counting shipments of methamphetamine. In total, they obtained and distributed over 150 pounds of methamphetamine and 100 pounds of marijuana throughout the duration of the conspiracy.
Salvador Madrigal, Jr. and Cardona, along with Salvador’s mother, Rosa Madrigal, also intentionally conspired to knowingly conduct wire/money transfers which involved the proceeds of unlawful activities. The group conducted numerous financial transactions intended to transfer the proceeds from methamphetamine sales while concealing the nature and ownership of the money. Agents believe the group laundered over $1,000,000 of drug proceeds. At the time of their arrest, Cardona and Madrigal had approximately $215,000 stored in the garage of their home.
“This multi-defendant conspiracy case is yet another example of the impactful work the U.S. Attorney’s Office is doing alongside its law enforcement partners to dismantle drug organizations in South Dakota,” said Alison J. Ramsdell, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. “We are especially grateful to our partners in the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the IRS-Criminal Investigations for their collaboration to bring down this family drug operation that brought more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine into our communities.”
“A 265-month sentence sends a strong message that trafficking drugs into our communities will not be tolerated, said IRS Criminal Investigation’s (CI) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Melissa McFadden, St. Louis Field Office. “When criminals launder their ill-gotten funds to hide the source of their crimes, the special agents of CI take pride in uncovering the money trail that leads to the source and helps put a stop to the drug trafficking operation.”
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
All defendants were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their respective sentencings.
AUGUST 2023:
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced three Sioux Falls, South Dakota, men and one Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and one Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments.
Salvador Magana Madrigal, age 41, was sentenced on August 7, 2023, to 33 years and four months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Oscar Madrigal, age 30, was sentenced on July 27, 2022, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Rosa Elena Magana Madrigal, age 65, was sentenced on August 15, 2022, to five years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
William Burt Hartwick, age 54, was sentenced on November 21, 2022, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Maria D. Magana-Zavala, age 53, was sentenced on December 27, 2023, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
A sixth co-conspirator, Anahi Plascencia Cardona, will be sentenced on October 30, 2023.
Oscar Madrigal pleaded guilty on April 4, 2022; Rosa Madrigal pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022; William Hartwick pleaded guilty on August 30, 2022; Maria Magana-Zavala pleaded guilty on October 4, 2022; and Salvador Magana Madrigal and Anahi Plascencia Cardona were found guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering following a four-day federal jury trial in Sioux Falls on May 2, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from activities that started when Salvador Madrigal and Anahi Cardona, who are husband and wife, recruited other members of Madrigal’s family to assist them in obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from California and distributing it in Sioux Falls. Salvador Madrigal and Cardona recruited Madrigal’s aunt and uncle, Maria Magana Zavala and William Hartwick, to transport methamphetamine by vehicle from California. Eventually Salvador’s brother, Oscar, became involved in the conspiracy by assisting his brother in transporting and counting shipments of methamphetamine.
Salvador Madrigal, Jr. and Cardona, along with Salvador’s mother, Rosa Madrigal, also intentionally conspired to knowingly conduct wire/money transfers which involved the proceeds of unlawful activities. The group conducted numerous financial transactions intended to transfer the proceeds from methamphetamine sales, while concealing the nature and ownership of the money.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
All five defendants were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their respective sentencing.
MAY 2023:
A federal jury has convicted Salvador Madrigal Jr. (age 41) and Anahi Plascencia Cardona (age 33), both of Sioux Falls. Both defendants
were convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and one count of Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments.
The charge of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The charge of Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments carries a maximum penalty of twenty years in custody and/or a $500,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Salvador Madrigal Jr., and his wife Anahi Plascencia Cardona, were leaders of a South Dakota drug cell that was responsible for trafficking hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine into South Dakota from California and Mexico. The husband-and-wife team worked with other members of the conspiracy, including some of their family members, who have previously been charged and convicted, to aid in the transportation and distribution of well over one hundred pounds of methamphetamine and hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Madrigal Jr. recruited his aunt, Maria Magana Zavala, and her husband William Hartwick, to make multiple trips to and from California to transport methamphetamine, marijuana, and money, promising them that this endeavor would be prosperous. Magana Zavala and Hartwick were instead sentenced to 70 months in custody for their involvement in the conspiracy. Madrigal Jr. also recruited his younger brother, Oscar Madrigal, to aid in the organization’s activities. Oscar Madrigal was sentenced to 120 months in custody for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance in July of 2022. Madrigal Jr. also involved his mother, Rosa Madrigal, in the money laundering conspiracy by arranging to have her make multiple deposits of cash into multiple institutions, to launder the proceeds of his drug trafficking organization. Rosa Madrigal was sentenced to 60 months in custody for Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments in August of 2022. Multiple other co-conspirators who were responsible for the sub-distribution of these drugs have also been charged and sentenced in federal court.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case alongside Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert, who also serves as a prosecutor with the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office.
Presentence investigations were ordered, and sentencing dates for each defendant will be set in the future. The defendants were both remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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