Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Drug Conspiracy

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Pine Ridge man charged with continuing criminal enterprise was sentenced on March 1, 2010, by Chief U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier. Kevin Walking Eagle, age 37, was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $100 victim assessment. Walking Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 16, 2008. He was charged for a series of drug offenses spanning 10 years and involving over 15 kilograms of cocaine. He acted as the leader of an organization that brought cocaine from Denver to Pine Ridge, importing more than a pound at a time. On November 18, 2009, he pled guilty to the charge. This case was investigated by OST, BIA, ATF, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Vargo prosecuted the case. Walking Eagle was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.