Sept. 16, 2025:
A U.S. District Judge has sentenced a 51 year old man from Reliance, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
On Monday (Sept. 15, 2025), Heath Choal was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Choal was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 2, 2025.
This conviction stemmed from a drug distribution conspiracy beginning in June 2023 and continuing until September 2024. Court information says Choal would obtain methamphetamine from his codefendants Misty and Heather Stahlhoefer, who were also the sources of supply to several other individuals in the Pierre area. The Stahlhoefers would acquire up to one pound of methamphetamine per trip to be further distributed by themselves and others including Choal, Whitney Marrowbone, Wendy Mealer, Brent Larvie and David Rinehart. The conspiracy involved between 30 and 35 pounds of methamphetamine.
The co-defendants who were earlier sentenced to federal prison are:
- Misty Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison.
- Heather Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
- Marrowbone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
- Mealer was sentenced to six years in federal prison.
- Larvie was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison.
- Rinehart was sentenced to two years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office.
Choal was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
July 29, 2025:
A U.S. District Judge has sentenced (July 21, 2025) a 42 year old woman from Pierre convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Misty Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Stahlhoefer was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. She pleaded guilty on April 14, 2025.
Stahlhoefer’s conviction stemmed from a drug distribution conspiracy beginning in June 2023 and continuing until September 2024. Misty Stahlhoefer and co-defendant Heather Stahlhoefer were the source of supply to several other individuals in the Pierre area. The Stahlhoefers would acquire up to one pound of methamphetamine per trip to be further distributed by themselves and others including Whitney Marrowbone, Wendy Mealer, Brent Larvie, David Rinehart, and Heath Choal. The conspiracy involved between 30 and 35 pounds of methamphetamine.
The co-defendants were earlier sentenced to federal prison as follows:
- Heather Stahlhoefer was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison.
- Marrowbone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
- Mealer was sentenced to six years in federal prison.
- Larvie was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison.
- Rinehart was sentenced to two years in federal prison.
- The seventh co-defendant, Heath Choal, is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2, 2025.
“Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office, Misty Stahlhoefer and her local co-conspirators are facing significant time in federal prison for pushing drugs that are ravaging our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Drug traffickers should take note that in South Dakota, they will be met with the full force of law enforcement—federal, state, local, and tribal—and unrelenting federal prosecution out of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.”
“For years, Misty Stahlhoefer distributed illegal drugs in the Pierre, SD area,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “Stahlhoefer will pay dearly for her reprehensible conduct. Those who choose to harm our community by enriching themselves and leading others to drug addiction will pay a heavy price. The FBI and our law enforcement partners will do everything in our power to rid our communities of illegal drugs.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges.
Stahlhoefer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
May 16, 2025:
A 38 year old woman from Pierre convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance has been sentenced in federal U.S. District Court (May 14, 2025).
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell says Heather Stahlhoefer must spend 18 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $1000 fine, as well as a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Stahlhoefer was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. She pleaded guilty on March 10, 2025.
This conviction stemmed from a drug distribution conspiracy beginning in June 2023 and continuing until September 2024. Heather Stahlhoefer and co-defendant Misty Stahlhoefer were the source of supply to several other individuals in the Pierre area. The Stahlhoefers would acquire up to 1 pound of methamphetamine per trip to be further distributed by themselves and others including Whitney Marrowbone, Wendy Mealer, Brent Larvie, and David Rinehart. The conspiracy involved between 10,000 and 30,000 kilograms of converted drug weight, including 550 grams of pure methamphetamine that was recovered during a traffic stop of Heather Stahlhoefer.
Misty Stahlhoefer is scheduled to be sentenced July 14, 2025. Marrowbone, Mealer, Larvie and Reinhart were sentenced on May 5, 2025. Marrowbone was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison; Mealer was sentenced to six years in federal prison; Larvie was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison; and Rinehart was sentenced to two years in federal prison.
This case was investigated by the FBI Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Dilges.
Stahlhoefer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
May 7, 2025:
A U.S. District Judge sentenced (May 5, 2025) four Pierre, South Dakota, residents convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Whitney Marrowbone, age 30, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
49 year old Wendy Mealer was sentenced to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Brent Larvie, age 36, was sentenced to four years and six months in federal prison, followed by three of supervised release.
33 year old David Rinehart was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The four defendants were each also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
These convictions stemmed from a drug distribution conspiracy beginning in June 2023 and continuing until September 2024. Marrowbone, Mealer, Larvie and Rinehart were involved in an extensive conspiracy with several other individuals to distribute methamphetamine in Pierre and the surrounding areas. The four co-defendants received significant quantities of methamphetamine from two other co-defendants, Heather and Misty Stahlhoefer, and then further distributed it. During the course of the investigation law enforcement recovered over 550 grams of pure methamphetamine.
Heather Stahlhoefer is scheduled to be sentenced May 14, 2025. Misty Stahlhoefer is scheduled to be sentenced July 14, 2025.
This case was investigated by the FBI North Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, the Chamberlain Police Department, and the Lyman County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Meghan Dilges.
Marrowbone, Rinehart, Mealer, and Larvie were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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