Meth use in South Dakota has been a growing concern for years. In 2019, the state drew national attention with its controversial “Meth. We’re on it” campaign. A year later, researchers at the University of South Dakota described the region as being stuck in a “meth bubble.” This year alone, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and Oglala Sioux Tribe have declared states of emergencies due to the impact of meth and other drugs on their communities.
Among the most severe of the recent sentences, 38-year-old Guillermo Calderon—known as “Memo”—was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison. Calderon led a meth trafficking operation that brought drugs from Mexican cartel sources into Pine Ridge and Rapid City. He used firearms and threats of violence to control the distribution network. In January 2024, Iowa law enforcement intercepted Calderon with approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine destined for South Dakota.
Judge Karen Schreier, who presided over the case, called Calderon the most violent and culpable member of the conspiracy, noting that the meth he distributed was 100% pure and directly linked to cartel activity.
“Methamphetamine is ravaging communities throughout South Dakota, leaving a trail of heartbreaking addiction in its path,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Calderon played a significant role in perpetuating this problem by trafficking methamphetamine into Rapid City and within the Pine Ridge Reservation. Thanks to our skilled federal and tribal law enforcement partners, Calderon will now spend serious time in federal prison.”
“Calderon led a dangerous operation that funneled large amounts of methamphetamine into Pine Ridge and Rapid City, bringing violence and addiction into vulnerable communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI in Minneapolis.
In another case, North Dakota residents Richard Rasmusson, 44, and Leslie Apple, 40, were sentenced for their roles in a meth conspiracy involving distribution in the Mobridge, South Dakota, area. Rasmusson received 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Apple was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The pair was arrested in Mobridge in April 2024 with 104 grams of pure methamphetamine.
In a third case, an Aberdeen man was found guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance after a two-day jury trial. In March and April of this year, investigators conducted three controlled purchases of meth from the man, ranging from 10 to 21 grams. A subsequent search of his home uncovered 56 grams of meth, and an additional 344 grams were seized from a supplier en route to his home. The drugs had been shipped from California and were part of a local distribution network.
The charges in this case carry a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a $1 million fine.
