SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Two people involved in bringing large amounts of drugs from California to South Dakota have each been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In Sioux Falls, Alonzo Green, 43, of California City, California, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.
Prosecutors said Green was part of a California-based drug trafficking group that began operating in the Sioux Falls area in the fall of 2023. The group used short-term rental properties as bases to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl around the city.
Green helped direct shipments through the mail and also drove drugs from California to South Dakota. He was arrested in 2024 after a traffic stop in the Hot Springs area. Authorities found more than 4,900 grams of methamphetamine and 925 grams of fentanyl in his vehicle.
“This was a tremendous arrest resulting in an appropriate prison sentence that has significantly disrupted the activities of this California-based drug trafficking organization in South Dakota,” U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons said.
In a separate case in western South Dakota, Sindy Richards, 35, of Spearfish, also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison.
Prosecutors said Richards joined a meth distribution ring in 2023, working with others to bring drugs from California, often through the mail, for resale in and around the Black Hills.
She worked closely with the main dealer in the case and helped arrange distribution in the Rapid City area. Investigators said she was involved in trafficking about 100 pounds of methamphetamine.
The two cases highlight ongoing efforts to stop large drug operations moving narcotics from California into South Dakota.
