Four People Sentenced in Large Drug Conspiracy Ring
| U.S. Attorney’s Office January 17, 2014 |
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that three women from Kyle, South Dakota and a man from Oglala, South Dakota convicted of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance were all sentenced this past week by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court. Wesley Yellow Horse, Sr., age 58, was sentenced to 57 months in custody, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Theresa Vocu, age 45, was sentenced to 36 months in custody, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for conspiracy to distribute methethamphetamine. Elwanda Fire Thunder, age 49, was sentenced to 21 months in custody, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. Kimberly Janis, age 51, was sentenced to 46 months in custody, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for conspiracy to distribute marijuana.
The defendants were indicted for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance by a federal grand jury on May 15, 2012. Fire Thunder pled guilty on August 22, 2012. Janis pled guilty on April 8, 2013. Vocu and Yellow Horse were found guilty by a federal jury on August 30, 2013
A drug conspiracy investigation began on or about October 2008 that resulted in federal charges against the following 18 individuals: Abraham Romero; Richard Marshall; Lorenzo Camacho Tarango, a/k/a Lencho, a/k/a Lecho; Reyes Chavez-Rojo; Billi American Horse; Jimmy Bravo; Elwanda Fire Thunder; Kimberly Janis; Zeno Little; Norton Little Spotted Horse; Moses Montileaux, Jr.; Moses Montileaux, Sr.; Whisper Montileaux; Stephanie Standing Soldier; Edward Vocu; Theresa Vocu; Cassie Winters; and Wesley Yellow Horse, Sr.
During the course of the conspiracy, Romero would receive marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine from Chavez-Rojo and Lencho and then the remaining above-named individuals and other persons conspired to distribute and/or distributed either marijuana, cocaine, or methamphetamine on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted L. McBride and Special Assistant Laura A. Shattuck prosecuted the case.
The four defendants were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Three defendants from this drug conspiracy remain to be sentenced, which is scheduled for later this month.