RAPID CITY, S.D. — A former Oglala Sioux Tribe treasurer and his wife have been indicted on federal drug trafficking charges. Mason Big Crow, 52, and Misty Standing Bear, 49, are accused of operating a years-long fentanyl trafficking operation that distributed thousands of counterfeit pills in western South Dakota, including the Pine Ridge Reservation and Rapid City area.
Both have pleaded not guilty.
According to federal prosecutors, the couple participated in a conspiracy dating back to at least 2021, traveling to other states to obtain thousands of counterfeit M/30 fentanyl pills and transporting them to South Dakota for distribution.
Authorities allege the operation continued into 2026. Investigators say Standing Bear traveled to Colorado in May at Big Crow’s direction with the intent to purchase 1,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills.
Prosecutors further allege that some of the drug purchases were financed using fraudulent tribal assistance checks while Big Crow was serving as treasurer of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.
“Mason Big Crow, already alleged to have committed crimes against his community for personal gain, is now alleged to have conspired to distribute dangerous narcotics to that same community along with his wife, Misty Standing Bear,” FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson said.
Standing Bear was released on bond pending trial, while Big Crow remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A trial date has not been set.
If convicted, both defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Additional penalties could include fines of up to $10 million, restitution, and supervised release ranging from five years to life.
