SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Two men from South Dakota and Arizona have been sentenced for their roles in a large-scale fentanyl trafficking operation in the Sioux Falls area.
Fame Cobbs, 40, of Sioux Falls, received a 24-year federal prison sentence for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and assault on a federal officer.
Mario Taylor, 34, of Phoenix, was sentenced to 15 years for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
According to federal prosecutors, Taylor supplied thousands of fentanyl pills from Arizona, arranging for packages to be mailed to Cobbs and others in Sioux Falls. Investigators identified at least 18 packages, each containing an estimated 2,000 to 4,000 pills. Authorities believe roughly 35,000 fentanyl pills were trafficked during the conspiracy.
Cobbs and his co-conspirators then distributed the pills locally. Prosecutors say the pair also used Cash App to transfer drug proceeds.
Cobbs’ criminal conduct continued after his arrest. While being held at the Minnehaha County Jail, he was involved in multiple assaults, including an incident in which he flooded his cell and kicked an officer during a struggle.
“Fentanyl traffickers are merchants of death who knowingly flood our communities with substances so lethal that two milligrams — less than a few grains of salt — can kill,” U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons said. “Each pill they press, each gram they move, is a loaded weapon aimed directly at our children, our neighbors, and our future.”
Both Cobbs and Taylor were indicted in December 2023. Cobbs pleaded guilty on August 29, 2025, and Taylor on September 8, 2025. Cobbs was also indicted in 2024 for assaulting a federal officer and pleaded guilty to that charge in August 2025.
