A 49 year old man from Boulder, Colorado, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to possession and distribution in central South Dakota.
James Rutledge pled not guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person charges.
The Indictment alleges that beginning at a time unknown, but no later than March 2020 and continuing to about November 2020, Rutledge did knowingly conspire with other people to possess and distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in central South Dakota. Further, in August 2020, Rutledge did knowingly possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Then being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, he did knowingly possess a handgun, which had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce and foreign commerce.
The maximum penalty if convicted is a mandatory minimum 10 years, up to life in federal prison and/or a $10,000,000 fine, at least five years, up to a lifetime of supervised release and restitution may be ordered.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws.
Rutledge was remanded to the custody of the US Marshals Service pending trial.
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