United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman and a Wanblee, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine have been sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Rani Bear Heels, age 24, was sentenced on July 18, 2014, to 41 months in custody, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Dana Provincial, age 36, was sentenced on July 21, 2014, to 16 months in custody, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Bear Heels was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on December 17, 2013, and she pled guilty on April 11, 2014.

Provincial was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on November 19, 2013, and he pled guilty on March 20, 2014.

From August 2009 through 2013, Bear Heels and Provincial received and conspired to distribute methamphetamine from individuals, including Angel Provincial, Shy Bettelyoun, Clinton Provincial, Robert Provincial, and Diana Bald Eagle, around the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.

The investigation was conducted 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 Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted L. McBride prosecuted the case.

Bear Heels and Provincial were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.