NEW YORK DEPARTMENT OF STATE ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF ENLIGHTEN PEEKSKILL, A SERIES OF PUBLIC ART INSTALLATIONS THROUGHOUT DOWNTOWN PEEKSKILL

 

Part of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, Project Features 3 Parts: Illuminate Peekskill, Making Connections, and the Five Arches Mural

New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley announced the completion of the Enlighten Peekskill art walk as part of Peekskill’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI). Illuminate Peekskill, Making Connections and the Five Arches Mural comprise the one-mile art walk from Metro North to downtown and its waterfront, featuring 12 murals and four sculptures by 46 artists.

“Public art has the power to transform spaces, celebrate local culture and create lasting connections between residents and visitors,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “Through the DRI, New York is helping communities like Peekskill invest in projects that reflect their unique character and strengthen their sense of place. The completion of these public art installations enhances Peekskill’s vibrant arts scene, beautifies the downtown and helps create a more welcoming and dynamic destination for everyone who lives, works and visits here.”

Enlighten Peekskill received $500,000 from the DRI and is sponsored by Hudson Valley MOCA. It encompasses the Illuminate Peekskill installation, which features seven lighted sculptures that connect the train station to the downtown, aimed at encouraging more people to get off the train and visit. It also includes Making Connections, which uses 11 murals to create an engaging cultural and historic experience while connecting visitors and residents from the Peekskill waterfront to the downtown. Lastly, the installations include the Five Arches Mural on the five arches on the Route 9 overpass at South and Requa streets, which represents the five elements of nature: earth, water, fire, metal and wood.

Peekskill was named the Mid-Hudson Downtown Revitalization Initiative winner for the fourth round in 2019. Other DRI winners in the region include Middletown, Kingston, New Rochelle, Haverstraw, Ossining, Port Jervis, White Plains and Poughkeepsie. 

In addition to Enlighten Peekskill, the following projects are also funded by the DRI in Peekskill: 

• Create a Downtown Civic Hub and Improve the Downtown Public Realm: Create the Peekskill Plaza on S. Division Street by converting two lanes to a pedestrian civic space, redesign Gazebo Plaza as the civic heart of Peekskill, improve streetscapes to enhance pedestrian safety and beautify downtown Peekskill.
• Improve Connections for Pedestrians and Cyclists between the Waterfront and Downtown: Strengthen the connection between the Waterfront and the Downtown Core by improving connectivity and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists on Railroad Avenue, S. Water Street, Central Avenue, and South Street. Components include bike lanes, curb extensions, crosswalks, bioswales, bike racks, LED info signage, street trees, and pedestrian signals.
• Revitalize the Paramount Theater and Develop Space for Peekskill Arts Center: Renovations to the building fac?ade and marquee, improved interior spaces for audience and artists, expanded hospitality programs, and upgraded equipment and utilities. Interior upgrades include lighting and sound equipment, stage rigging, accessible seating, flexible seating, and box office renovations.
• Reconstruct Fleischmann Pier and Improve Charles Point Park as a Premier Waterfront Destination (Complete): Reconstruction of Fleischmann Pier to create a new pier that will support tour boats. The project provided funding for a second phase improvement to include floating docks for smaller vessels and transient boaters, improvements to Charles Point Park, and expanded parking area building.
• Enhance Pugsley Park as a Downtown Attraction (Complete): Improvements to Pugsley Park include creation of new plazas and seating areas, pedestrian-scaled lighting; small-scale play equipment to attract children, trash cans, bike parking, plantings of trees, shrubs, and flowers, and infrastructure to support power hook-ups and watering.
• Enhance Monument Park, a Gateway into Downtown Peekskill: Monument Park would be enhanced by lighting and maintenance improvements to improve the quality of the public space for daily use by residents. The project proposal seeks DRI funding for lighting, landscaping, and LED informational sign at the bus stop. 
• Transform the Kiley Youth Center as a New Location of the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester: Renovate the Kiley Youth Center as a new location for the Boys & Girls Club of Northern Westchester. Upgrades include interior/exterior improvements, utilities, and structural repairs providing offices, an art room, computer labs, and cafeteria.
• Create a Marketing and Branding Strategy with Wayfinding Signage: Develop a brand for Peekskill that describes the City's history and culture, create a marketing strategy to communicate the City's brand and attract new residents, businesses, and visitors, and implement components of the marketing strategy with wayfinding signage.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Enlighten Peekskill is a strong example of how investments in arts and culture can support economic growth while celebrating a community’s unique identity. By creating new experiences for residents and visitors alike, these installations help drive foot traffic, support local businesses and strengthen Peekskill’s appeal as a destination. Projects like this demonstrate how strategic placemaking investments can generate lasting benefits for communities across New York State.”

About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative 

The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the Department of State, with assistance from Empire State Development, Homes and Community Renewal and NYSERDA, the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative "plan-then-act" strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation. Through nine rounds, the DRI will have awarded a total of $1 billion to 99 communities across every region of the State. 

Mayor Mamdani Appoints Annie Elisa Minguez as Executive Director of Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services

 

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced the appointment of Annie Elisa Minguez as Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services.

“Nonprofits step in where the need is greatest. They help families find housing, give young people a shot at summer jobs, feed hungry veterans and repair our social safety net when it frays,” said Mayor Mamdani. "Annie E. Minguez has spent her career fighting for the organizations and workers who deliver those essential services. Her leadership will help us build a stronger partnership between City government and nonprofits so that together, we can better serve New Yorkers.”

"Nonprofit organizations are vitally important to the communities they serve and New York City's social safety net as a whole," said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Helen Arteaga. "Annie Minguez, with her years of experience in the nonprofit sector, understands the urgency of these organizations' work and what it takes to make their impact felt, which are qualifications that make her exceptionally well-equipped for this role. I look forward to working with her to assist the New Yorkers who need help most."

“For the last 12 years, I have seen firsthand how stagnant funding, cuts to essential programs and changes in policies impact service delivery by the nonprofits that are the backbone of communities tasked to respond to the needs of the most vulnerable New Yorkers,” said Annie E. Minguez, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services. “From housing to immigration to after school to early childhood education to child welfare to youth justice, nonprofits are the government partners at the forefront of ensuring New Yorkers thrive.  I look forward to working with the nonprofit community in this new capacity on a whole of government approach that centers on strengthening nonprofits so they too, can thrive.”

Minguez most recently served as the Vice President of Government and Community Relations at Good Shepherd Services, a leading New York City youth and family development organization that serves more than 30,000 children and families across the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan. In that role, she led the organization’s advocacy efforts on education, juvenile justice, child welfare, procurement reform and after-school programming.

She also held leadership positions in several child, youth and family-focused coalitions, including the Campaign for Children, Council of Family and Child Caring Agencies (COFCCA), the Fostering Youth Success Alliance, Coalition for Equitable Education Funding, the Coalition for Community Schools Excellence and the Learning to Work Coalition. Her experience spans the nonprofit, philanthropic and federal government sectors and includes holding positions in the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. House of Representatives, the America Initiative of the Clinton Global Initiative, and ACCION U.S. Network.

Minguez was born and raised in Washington Heights to Dominican immigrant parents and lives in the Bronx. She holds a bachelor’s degree in business management with a minor in communications from George Mason University. Minguez has served on the Boards of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Good Shepherd Volunteers and the National Dominican Day Parade.

The Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services (MONS) is dedicated to strengthening New York City’s nonprofit sector. As the first office of its kind in the nation, MONS serves as a bridge between City agencies and nonprofit organizations, helping improve service delivery through performance management, procurement and contracting reform, communication, capacity building and cross-agency coordination.

DEC ANNOUNCES JUNE 27 & 28 AS FREE FISHING WEEKEND IN NEW YORK STATE

 

Free Freshwater Fishing Days Support the Governor's “Get Offline, Get Outside” Initiative

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced that a Free Fishing Weekend in New York State will take place June 27–28, 2026. The weekend is part of six designated Free Fishing Days that take place each year in New York State. During these days, the fishing license requirement is waived for freshwater fishing on New York’s waters.

 

“With summer officially here, the timing of these free fishing days couldn’t be better,” said Commissioner Lefton. “New York is home to thousands of angling opportunities across our abundant freshwater lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers. Fishing is an affordable and rewarding pastime and I encourage everyone to get outside and visit New York’s waters during this Free Fishing Weekend.”

 

DEC’s Free Fishing Days program began in 1991 to give New Yorkers who might not fish a chance to try the rewarding sport of freshwater fishing at no cost, introduce people to a new hobby, and encourage people to support conservation bypurchasing a New York State Fishing License.

 

Free Fishing Days further support Governor Hochul's “Get Offline, Get Outside” initiative that promotes physical and mental health by encouraging New York’s children and families to put down their phones and computers, take a break from social media, and enjoy recreation and outdoor social gatherings. One of the ways teens and youth can find ideas to get offline is through DEC’s Get Offline, Get Outside Challenge, which offers 50 fun and interesting activities for youth to complete by the age of 19.

 

In addition to Free Fishing Days, there are also “learn to fish” opportunities available through DEC-approved free fishing clinics. For a list of currently scheduled programs, visit DEC’s website.

To help make fishing more affordable and help inspire the next generation of anglers, DEC has also partnered with libraries across the state on the Fishing Rod Lending Program. While borrowing a book, library patrons can sign out fishing equipment (spin casting rods, bobbers, and hooks). This program offers an opportunity for people to try fishing before deciding to purchase their own gear. For more information and a list of the more than 80 participating libraries, visit DEC’s website.

 

Free Fishing Day participants are reminded that although the requirement for a freshwater fishing license is waived during free fishing days, all other fishing regulations remain in effect. Outside of free fishing days, anglers over the age of 16 must have a valid fishing license. For more information on purchasing a license, visit DEC’s website.

 

The New York State Department of Health (DOH) provides advice to anglers about what fish are safe to eat and how often. Visit DOH’s website to search by waterbody location.

 

The remaining Free Fishing Days of 2026 will take place on September 26 (National Hunting and Fishing Day) and November 11 (Veterans Day).

NYC CORRECTION OFFICER CHARGED WITH ALLEGEDLY FILING FRAUDULENT SICK LEAVE DOCUMENTATION FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT SHE DID NOT RECEIVE

 

Nadia I. Shihata, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), issued the following statement on the arrest of a Correction Officer with the City Department of Correction (“DOC”) on charges of submitting fraudulent medical notes in order to collect approximately $5,400 in sick pay she was not entitled to receive. DOI’s investigation was prompted by a report from DOC’s Health Management Division (“HMD”), which is located in Queens. DOI investigated this matter with the Queens District Attorney’s Office, which is prosecuting the case. 

NAKEIA COAKLEY, 36, of Wyandanch, N.Y., was charged with Grand Larceny in the Third Degree and Corrupting the Government in the Third Degree, which are class D felonies; and 15 counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor. Upon conviction a class D felony is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year’s incarceration. COAKLEY was arraigned and released on her own recognizance. Her next court date is scheduled for July 24, 2026.

DOI Commissioner Nadia I. Shihata said, “As charged, this Correction Officer allegedly submitted fraudulent documents to support claims of medical treatment that never occurred. Misrepresenting sick time to get paid for days not worked is a crime that shortchanges taxpayers and the expectation that all City employees abide by the law, particularly law enforcement professionals such as correction officers. I thank the Queens District Attorney’s Office for its partnership in this investigation and DOC for reporting this matter to DOI.” 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant deliberately falsified medical documentation and submitted it to her employer to secure paid sick leave and dodge her responsibilities as a Correction Officer. Public servants are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity. Those who exploit that trust for personal benefit will be held accountable. I thank our partners at the New York City Department of Investigation and the Department of Correction for their work on this case.” 

Under DOC regulations, uniformed correction officers who report sick for more than two days must submit medical documentation to HMD and uniformed correction officers who report sick for nine or more days in one calendar year may not leave their homes except under certain circumstances, which include seeking medical treatment. Correction officers must forward documentation of their out-of-residence activity and that documentation must include the date and time of services rendered. 

According to the criminal complaint, the HMD database reflected that the defendant was out on sick leave for 14 days in 2022 and allegedly submitted 15 notes to HMD on specified dates in the April through November 2022 time period. COAKLEY allegedly submitted 11 notes purportedly from a Manhattan medical center to HMD indicating that she received treatment at the medical center on specified dates during this time period. Eight of these documents also displayed a purported signature from a doctor. The investigation found that the defendant was not seen at the medical center or by the doctor on the dates in question and was never a patient at the medical center or of the doctor. The investigation also determined the defendant allegedly submitted four letters on purported company letterhead indicating that she was treated at a Hauppauge, N.Y. physical therapy and chiropractic practice on specified dates in July and August 2022. The letters also bore a signature of a person from whom she purportedly received treatment. The investigation found that the defendant was not seen at this practice on the dates in question and that the letters were not generated by the practice. As a result of these alleged actions, the defendant received $5,407 in sick pay she was not entitled to receive.

COAKLEY began employment at DOC in September 2012 and currently has an annual base salary of approximately $101,590. 

Commissioner Shihata thanked Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and her staff for their partnership on this investigation. Commissioner Shihata also thanked DOC Commissioner Stanley Richards and his staff for their cooperation in this investigation.

A criminal complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Attorney General James Announces Arrest of Man Who Stole Home of 92-Year-Old Woman Suffering from Dementia

 

Mark Salkey Committed Deed Theft When He Stole an Elderly Woman’s East Flatbush Home While Allowing Illegal Squatters to Take Over Her House

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the arrest and indictment of Mark Salkey, 58, of Queens, for stealing the home of Althea Garrick, an elderly woman living in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, while she was receiving dementia care in her home. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that between 2022 and 2024, Salkey forged documents to transfer ownership of Ms. Garrick’s home to himself and allowed unauthorized people to move into the home, requiring some to pay rent to his company. In addition to stealing the home, Salkey stole approximately $148,000 from Ms. Garrick and approximately $20,000 from her ex-husband’s pension. Salkey was charged with 23 crimes for his deed theft and financial fraud scheme.

“Mark Salkey took advantage of an elderly woman suffering from advanced dementia and stole the home she has owned and lived in for 47 years,” said Attorney General James. “No one deserves to have their home stolen and their bank account drained. Deed theft is a heartless crime, and my office will do everything in our power to return this home to its rightful owner and hold Mark Salkey accountable for his despicable actions.”

In 1976, Ms. Garrick and her husband at the time, Reginald Kelly, purchased 162 East 95th Street in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. In 1998, following her divorce from Mr. Kelly, Ms. Garrick became the sole owner of the property. In 2022, Salkey was introduced to Ms. Garrick, and between 2022 and 2024, he allegedly used forged documents, including a forged deed, to modify the terms of her mortgage and steal her home and savings. Salkey transferred ownership of the property from Ms. Garrick to his company, Salkey Salkey & Associate, Inc. Once he gave himself ownership of the property, Salkey allowed several other tenants, including his sister, to move into the home and pay rent to him, while Ms. Garrick and Mr. Kelly have been forced to live in just a small bedroom in their own home. Salkey charges the tenants a monthly rent between $2,000 to $2,200, and in total, he has collected approximately $70,000 in rent. When the property was stolen in 2023, it was worth approximately $950,000. The property is now worth over $1 million.  

In addition to stealing Ms. Garrick’s home, Salkey stole approximately $148,000 of her savings by liquidating her bank accounts using forged checks. Salkey wrote personal checks to himself and to his companies and used electronic, internet, or phone payments to distribute money to other accounts in his name. Salkey also stole approximately $20,000 of Mr. Kelly’s pension that was directly deposited into Ms. Garrick’s bank accounts. He used the money for personal expenses, including credit card bills, a child’s college tuition, luxury purchases at Hermès and a jewelry store, rental cars, clothing purchases, nail salon visits, and airfare.

Salkey was arrested on June 23 and charged with 23 crimes, including Grand Larceny, Criminal Possession of a Stolen Property, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, Forgery, Offering a False Instrument for Filing, and Falsifying Business Records. If convicted on the top count, Salkey faces a maximum sentence of eight and one-third to 25 years in prison.

These charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

“The scourge of deed theft is displacing our longtime neighbors, deepening our housing crisis and robbing families of generational wealth,” said Senator Zellnor Myrie. “The crisis is especially acute in Black and brown communities like those I represent in Central Brooklyn. I'm grateful to Attorney General James for using the laws we passed to prosecute those responsible for their heinous crime and ensure justice is served.”

“In the last decade alone, there have been thousands of complaints of deed theft and deed fraud, particularly in communities of color in Brooklyn and Queens,” said Assembly Member Latrice Walker. “These are cases in which predators target homeowners, especially seniors and immigrants. These criminals steal homes and deny New York families their rightful opportunities for generational wealth. I commend Attorney General James for her commitment to this particular investigation and to her leadership on the issue of deed theft. I encourage all of our partners in law enforcement to aggressively enforce the laws already on the books, as my colleagues and I work to strengthen the penalties for this heinous crime. It is my sincere hope that all victims of deed theft receive the justice they deserve, including the recovery of their homes.”

“A home represents security, stability, and generational opportunity for New York families, and no one should lose their home because of deception,” said Assembly Member Monique Chandler-Waterman. "Deed theft disproportionately impacts Black and Caribbean immigrant homeowners, stripping families of their homes through fraud and forgery. I commend Attorney General James for her critical work to investigate deed theft, prosecute bad actors, and help homeowners recover property stolen through fraud. We remain committed to protecting homeowners, holding scammers accountable, and ensuring every New Yorker has the tools and resources needed to safeguard their property and build generational wealth.”

“Deed theft is a scourge in Black and brown communities, and the conduct charged here is reprehensible,” said New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “I applaud the Attorney General for her work on this case and her longtime focus on this issue, and I am proud to partner with both her office and the city to help provide homeowners the resources they need to stand against predatory actors.”

Attorney General James is a leader in stopping deed theft and educating New Yorkers about how to protect their homes from scammers. In September 2025, Attorney General James secured the guilty plea of former Rockland County real estate agent for forging the signature of a homeowner to steal her property without her knowledge. In August 2025, Attorney General James announced the indictments of two people who stole the home of an elderly widow living in Queens while she was receiving end-of-life hospice care in her home. In February 2025, Attorney General James announced charges against a woman in Queens for stealing the home and funds of her elderly neighbor. In October 2024, Attorney General James and Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark announced the arrests of three real estate scammers for stealing over $250,000 from New Yorkers and for their roles in a deed theft scheme to steal the childhood home of a Bronx resident.

New Yorkers who believe they are a victim of deed theft are encouraged to contact OAG by calling 1(800) 771-7755, emailing deedtheft@ag.ny.gov, or filing a confidential complaint. 

NYC PUBLIC ADVOCATE’S STATEMENT ON THE RENT FREEZE VOTE

 

"After years of historically steep increases, this vote to freeze the rent and help keep New Yorkers in their homes is welcome and overdue relief for over a million tenants. I applaud the board’s decision and the advocates who have worked relentlessly to reach this moment of respite. 

“It’s hard to look at the money the real estate industry spent trying to prevent this basic relief and take their doomsday predictions seriously, especially when freezes have happened twice in the last decade. Some property owners, particularly of smaller buildings, have legitimate concerns about rising costs – the solution cannot be to demand more money from tenants who simply do not have it. Instead, government on all levels should work to strengthen programs aimed at maintaining housing quality and providing property owners with support when needed.

“A rent freeze is vital, but it’s not the singular cure for the housing affordability crisis in our city. Moving forward in this year and beyond, we need to use every tool available to build and preserve income-targeted affordable housing, meeting the needs of the moment while protecting against evictions and displacement. We can’t let up in the work for housing justice – the rent may be frozen, but we have to continue to bring the heat.” 

Mayor Mamdani’s Statement on the Rent Guidelines Board’s Final Vote

 

Tonight, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani released the following statement on the Rent Guidelines Board’s vote to freeze the rent on one- and two-year rent-stabilized leases:

“This is a historic victory for New York City tenants. After reviewing the data and hearing from New Yorkers across the city, the independent RGB has delivered a freeze on one-year leases, and the first-ever freeze on two- year leases in our city’s history. This is the relief that working people across our city deserve.

“I’m grateful for the board members’ thoughtful consideration of the data, including tenants’ ability to pay, cost of living and building operating costs. I’ll continue working to deliver a more affordable city by building and preserving affordable housing, lowering building operating costs like insurance, and ensuring tenants know their rights.” 

Federal Prosecutors Dismantle Four Major Drug Trafficking Organizations Flooding South Dakota with Meth and Fentanyl

 

U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons announced the results of four landmark federal prosecutions in the past year that have systematically dismantled major drug trafficking organizations (DTOs) connected to the Mexican cartels responsible for flooding South Dakota communities with methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other deadly narcotics.  Through coordinated, long-term investigations involving federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota has secured federal convictions against 54 members of these four organizations, with eight cases still pending and one case dismissed due to the defendant’s death, and has obtained substantial federal prison sentences—including multiple sentences exceeding 20 and 30 years—against their leaders, lieutenants, suppliers, and sub-distributors in the past year alone.

Conservatively estimated, these four DTOs together trafficked more than 1,000 pounds—over half a ton—of methamphetamine and multiple kilograms of fentanyl pills and powder into South Dakota over the course of recent years. The defendants ranged from out-of-state suppliers connected to Mexican cartels to local distributors operating from short-term rental properties, hotels, and private residences across Sioux Falls, Rapid City, the Pine Ridge Reservation, and surrounding communities.

As the capstone of those efforts, U.S. Attorney Parsons announced that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Las Vegas, Nevada, man convicted by a federal jury of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, as well as an additional three of his subordinates for similar drug-related crimes.

On June 24, 2026, Quantiae Harris, 49, was sentenced to 33 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024.  He was found guilty by a federal jury following a four-day trial on March 27, 2026. Harris was the leader of a California and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization responsible for bringing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to the Sioux Falls area.  More than anyone else, Harris was responsible for the introduction and distribution of fentanyl powder — the most potent, deadly and destructive form of that illicit substance — into the Sioux Falls illegal drug market.  At his sentencing, Judge Schreier noted that the drug quantity involved in the prosecution of the Quantiae Harris drug trafficking organization was one of the highest she had seen in more than 25 years on the federal bench.

"The actions of Quantiae Harris and his associates made detrimental and lasting impacts on communities across South Dakota," DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. "Fentanyl and methamphetamine carry potentially lethal consequences, and some families may never recover from the poisons Harris knowingly brought into the state and sold. Today’s sentencing sends a strong message to drug traffickers looking to make their mark in our state. DEA, alongside state, local, tribal and fellow federal partners will work non-stop to bring individuals peddling these illicit drugs to justice.”

Coordinated, multi-agency efforts yield charges against 63 defendants and more than 660 years in federal prison sentences—with more to come. 33-year sentence for Harris DTO leader is capstone of efforts.

“Behind every ounce of methamphetamine and every fentanyl pill in these cases is a South Dakota family that has suffered and felt the damage." U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons said. "That is who this work is for. We have proven that no link in the chain is beyond our reach—not the local dealer, not the out-of-state supplier, and not the cartel hiding in the shadows behind them. Working with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners, we will keep following that chain, defendant by defendant and case by case, until our communities are no longer a market these traffickers believe they can exploit.”

“This is an amazing win for the people of South Dakota. The damage Harris and his associates have done to communities by introducing fentanyl powder to Sioux Falls is immeasurable," IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge William Steenson said. "IRS-CI special agents are committed to working alongside our federal law enforcement partners to trace the money trails that lead to the disruption of dangerous drug trafficking organizations such as this.”

Three additional sentences for members of the Quantiae Harris DTO were also announced by U.S. Attorney Parsons today:

On June 15, 2026, Faily Chavez, 31, from California City, California, was sentenced by Judge Schreier to 24 years and four months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  Chavez was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2024.  She pleaded guilty on March 24, 2026.

On June 22, 2026, Kyle Schryvers, 33, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced by U.S. District Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange to 16 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  He pleaded guilty on March 17, 2026.

Also on June 22, 2026, Nicole Kritz, 48, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced by Chief Judge Lange to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.  She pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.

Chavez, Schryvers, and Kritz were all members of the Quantiae Harris DTO.

These sentences are the latest results from the systematic takedown of four major drug trafficking operations in South Dakota over the past year:

• Quantiae Harris DTO
• Juan Sertuche DTO
• Matthew Shade DTO
• Darrel Devorce DTO

By the Numbers

Combined results across just these four discrete prosecutions:

• Total defendants charged or convicted federally: 63 charged, 54 convictions to date
• Methamphetamine trafficked (combined estimates): More than 1,000 pounds
• Fentanyl pills trafficked (combined estimates): Tens of thousands
• Fentanyl powder: Multiple kilograms
• Money laundering proceeds traced: Several million dollars
• Federal prison sentences to date: More than 660 years
• Federal jury trials: Three to date (Quantiae Harris, Juan Sertuche, and Gregory Henderson convicted at trial)

Importantly, the prosecutions of the four drug trafficking organizations detailed in this report represent only a portion of the drug trafficking convictions and sentences secured by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota over the past year.

1. QUANTIAE HARRIS DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION

26-Defendant California- and Nevada-Based Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Conspiracy

Overview of the Organization

From late 2023 through September 2024, a California- and Nevada-based drug trafficking organization led by Quantiae Harris, age 49, of Las Vegas, Nevada, transported large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to South Dakota for distribution in the Sioux Falls area. The organization is the first known to have introduced powder fentanyl to the Sioux Falls drug market—a development of grave public health and public safety concern given fentanyl’s extreme lethality even in microscopic amounts.

The organization initially shipped drugs through the U.S. Mail to addresses in Sioux Falls, where members would collect packages and distribute the contents to local sub-distributors. Operations were originally conducted out of local hotels, but eventually transitioned to short-term rental properties, including Airbnbs. Once the U.S. Postal Inspection Service began intercepting their packages, the organization shifted methods, using rental vehicles equipped with hidden compartments to drive narcotics from California to Sioux Falls.

Customers contacted members for brief meetups at public locations to purchase drugs, with payments made in cash or through electronic payment platforms such as Cash App. Bulk cash proceeds were transported back to California in rental vehicles, while large amounts of currency were also deposited in local banks into accounts belonging to Quantiae Harris. The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation linked Harris to over $1.2 million in money laundering transactions related to the organization.

Scope of Trafficking (Conservative Estimates)

• More than 100 pounds of methamphetamine
• Tens of thousands of fentanyl pills (estimated 50,000)
• Approximately 2 kilograms of fentanyl powder
• More than $1.2 million in money laundering transactions linked to the DTO leader

Indictments and Prosecutions

Four rounds of federal indictments charged a total of 26 defendants in connection with the Harris organization.  Convictions for 22 of the 26 defendants have been secured so far. Harris, the DTO leader, was convicted following a four-day federal jury trial in Sioux Falls, returning a guilty verdict on every count on March 27, 2026.  Currently, four remaining defendants are scheduled for trials. Regarding those four defendants, as with any pending criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Federal Defendants

Defendant	Role	Status	Sentence
Quantiae Harris  Las Vegas, NV	Leader of the DTO	Convicted at trial on 3/27/26; sentenced on 6/24/26	400 months (33 years)
Stephonn Walton  Las Vegas, NV	Alleged co-conspirator	Pleaded not guilty; pending trial	—
Dejuan Croom  Los Angeles, CA	Third in command; managerial role	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 4/6/26	280 months (over 23 years)
Alonzo Green  California City, CA	Fourth in command	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 1/5/26	240 months (20 years)
Faily Chavez  California City, CA	California-based source of supply	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/15/26	292 months (over 24 years)
Hailey Schneiderman  Sioux Falls, SD	Major local sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/4/25	192 months (16 years)
Amanda Acosta  Prairie Village, KS	Major sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 9/29/25	240 months (20 years)
Alysia Peneaux  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 4/13/26	120 months (10 years)
Rodney Rohrbach Jr.  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty on 4/6/26	Sentencing on 6/29/26
Rodney Rohrbach Sr.  Chamberlain, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 1/26/26	70 months (over 5 years)
Isaiah Croom  Los Angeles, CA	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 3/16/26	30 months (over 2 years)
Brett Berglund  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/17/25	135 months (over 11 years)
Brandy Christman  Aberdeen, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 9/29/25	6 months
Heather Downey  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/25/25	120 months (10 years)
Alexis Mertens  Slayton, MN	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 9/22/25	92 months (over 7 years)
Ashley Mortimer  Lennox, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 1/16/26	92 months (over 7 years)
Kenneth Johnson  Los Angeles, CA	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/24/25	159 months (over 13 years)
Jeffrey Skannal  Las Vegas, NV	Distributor	Pleaded guilty on 6/11/26	Sentencing on 8/31/26
Jordon Harris  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/17/25	87 months (over 7 years)
Morgan Mentele  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 4/20/26	30 months
Kyle Heinemann  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/8/26	120 months (10 years)
Kyle Schryvers  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/22/26	192 months (16 years)
Nicole Kritz  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/22/26	70 months (over 5 years)
Jordan Reese  Sioux Falls, SD	Alleged co-conspirator	Pleaded not guilty; pending trial	—
Allen Shropshire  Sioux Falls, SD	Alleged co-conspirator	Pleaded not guilty; pending trial	—
Joshua Weisser  Sioux Falls, SD	Alleged co-conspirator	Pleaded not guilty; pending trial	—

“This was a major bust of a significant figure in the lurid underworld of illegal drugs. The Trump Administration has designated fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality in extremely small amounts. In its pure powder form, it truly is a chemical weapon. If a member of your family used fentanyl in Sioux Falls over the past few years, this defendant is one of the primary drug dealers likely to have brought it here.”

— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Harris jury verdict)

Investigating Agencies

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF); Sioux Falls Police Department; South Dakota Highway Patrol; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Each of these cases has been prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen handled the investigatory stage of some of the prosecutions.

2. JUAN SERTUCHE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
   Two-Decade Cartel-Sourced Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Pipeline into Western South Dakota Shut Down

Overview of the Organization

Juan Sertuche, age 43, of Denver, Colorado, led a drug distribution conspiracy spanning more than two decades from approximately 2002 through September 2023. Sertuche was sourced by a Mexican cartel and brought between 30 and 50 pounds of methamphetamine into South Dakota every other week, providing hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and tens of thousands of fentanyl pills to multiple sub-distributors for further distribution in the Rapid City area and the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Investigators linked Sertuche to a traffic stop that uncovered 19 pounds of methamphetamine intended for distribution in western South Dakota. He was arrested in September 2023 after another traffic stop in Jackson County, where officers found approximately 1,500 fentanyl pills. Even after his arrest, Sertuche continued coordinating drug deals from custody and directed others to collect firearms to trade for drugs. Law enforcement recovered several weapons, including two fully automatic machine guns, before they could be exchanged.

Scope of Trafficking

• Hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine over the duration of the conspiracy
• Tens of thousands of fentanyl pills
• Source of supply traced to Mexican cartel
• Continued drug coordination and firearms trafficking after arrest

Indictments and Prosecutions

The investigation produced parallel federal and state prosecutions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the top tier of the organization, resulting in 10 convictions and federal prison sentences, while additional DTO members were prosecuted in state court.

Federal Defendants

Defendant	Role	Status	Sentence
Juan Sertuche  Denver, CO	Leader of the DTO; cartel-sourced supplier	Convicted at trial on 1/8/26; sentenced on 5/22/26	540 months (45 years)
Veronica Ortega  Box Elder, SD	Main local distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 7/11/25	292 months (over 24 years)
Shauntel Shangreaux  Pine Ridge, SD	Key lieutenant	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 4/6/26	230 months (over 19 years)
Paige Sierra  Rapid City, SD	Distributor; transportation assistance	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 7/11/25	140 months (over 11 years)
Jackie Corean  Black Hawk, SD	Distribution hub host, sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 9/2/25	135 months (over 11 years)
Jenna Lee Holzer  Box Elder, SD	Major sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 10/28/25	360 months (30 years)
Darin Wherley  Black Hawk, SD	Major sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/1/24	320 months (over 26 years)
Monique Merrival  Greeley, CO	Major sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 10/11/24	224 months (over 18 years)
Shelina Martinez  Denver, CO	Sub-distributor, courier	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/8/25	60 months (5 years)
Daniel Sandoval  Denver, CO	Sub-distributor, courier	Indictment dismissed when defendant died	—

“We may never know the true depths of the devastation, suffering, and loss inflicted on our communities by the methamphetamine, fentanyl, and automatic weapons trafficked and sold by this defendant. But we will do our best to hold this profiteer of misery fully accountable and ensure he receives a federal prison sentence that will put him out of that business for a long time.”

— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Sertuche conviction at trial)

Investigating Agencies

South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI); Pennington County Sheriff’s Office; Rapid City Police Department; South Dakota Highway Patrol; Wyoming State Highway Patrol; North Metro Denver Drug Task Force; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS); and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen, Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges.

3. MATTHEW SHADE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
   Arizona-Sourced Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Operation Trafficking 200 Pounds into Sioux Falls Area Dismantled

Overview of the Organization

Matthew Shade, age 34, of Tea, South Dakota, served as the local leader of a drug trafficking organization that obtained methamphetamine and fentanyl from sources in Mexico who then arranged for the drugs to cross the border and be delivered to co-conspirators in Arizona for distribution throughout the Sioux Falls area. The organization received drugs both through the U.S. Mail and through cross-country car deliveries by a supplier traveling from Arizona to South Dakota.

In December 2024, investigators seized a package containing over four pounds of methamphetamine. Postal Inspectors, working with the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, also seized two parcels sent from Sioux Falls to Arizona that contained over $26,000 in cash, as well as a separate package bound for Sioux Falls containing 144 grams of fentanyl powder. After identifying that Shade’s supplier was traveling by car to South Dakota, investigators arranged for the South Dakota Highway Patrol to conduct a traffic stop during which a trooper located approximately 26 pounds of methamphetamine and over 2,000 fentanyl pills concealed in the vehicle. At Shade’s residence in Tea, investigators found 80 grams of methamphetamine, 22 fentanyl pills, and other narcotics.

Scope of Trafficking

• Approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine trafficked to the Sioux Falls area
• Significant quantities of fentanyl pills and fentanyl powder
• Multiple seizures of bulk cash being routed back to Arizona suppliers

Indictments and Prosecutions

To date, 13 defendants have been indicted in connection with the Shade organization, including Matthew Shade himself, nine South Dakota members operating beneath him, and two Arizona-based defendants representing the supply chain. Nine defendants have been convicted, with two of those defendants still awaiting sentencing; four additional defendants have pending trial dates. Regarding those four defendants, as with any pending criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation, and they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.  

Federal Defendants

Defendant	Role	Status	Sentence
Matthew Shade  Tea, SD	Local leader of the DTO	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 5/4/26	260 months (over 21 years)
Sean David Blanchfill  Tea, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 3/2/26	202 months (over 16 years)
Damian Roy Webster  Glendale, AZ	Distributor, coordinator of shipments from Arizona	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/18/25	168 months (14 years)
Alex Geoffrey Lang  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 12/1/25	160 months (over 13 years)
Carey Adam Ludens  Crooks, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 5/18/26	160 months (over 13 years)
Robert Duane Kent, Jr.  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 5/18/26	92 months (over 7 years)
Michael Lee Terveen  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 10/27/25	60 months (5 years)
Kourtney Leigh Lang  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty on 3/2/26	Sentencing on 7/6/26
Lorenzo Portillo  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty on 5/5/26	Sentencing on 8/24/26
John Stanford Roth  Phoenix, AZ	Alleged co-conspirator	Pleaded not guilty; pending trial	—
Julia Diane Pewo  Sioux Falls, SD	Alleged co-conspirator	Pleaded not guilty; pending trial	—
Cory Wayne Nohava  Sioux Falls, SD	Alleged co-conspirator	Pleaded not guilty; pending trial	—
Ryan Richard Tulio  Tea, SD	Alleged co-conspirator	Pleaded not guilty; pending trial	—

“This was another skillfully managed takedown of a serial drug dealer and his operation by the dedicated officers on the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, with a strong assist from the Criminal Investigations Unit of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  In all likelihood, the fentanyl and methamphetamine seized from this criminal’s operation would have killed some people who are alive right now in Sioux Falls. This investigation, prosecution, and substantial federal prison sentence has given them another chance at life. I will never stop being grateful for that.”

— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Shade sentencing)

Investigating Agencies

Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF); Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office; South Dakota Highway Patrol; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

These cases were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges, Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce.

4. DARREL DEVORCE DRUG TRAFFICKING ORGANIZATION
   Five-Year California-to-South Dakota Methamphetamine Pipeline Dismantled

Overview of the Organization

Darrel Devorce, age 57, of San Jacinto, California, ran a large methamphetamine trafficking organization for approximately five years, sourcing methamphetamine from California to co-conspirators in Sioux Falls beginning around 2018 and continuing into 2023. Devorce arranged for methamphetamine from California to be delivered to co-conspirators in South Dakota using various couriers and directed others to conduct financial transactions involving the proceeds using Cash App, Western Union, and Zelle. The money transfers were designed to conceal both the source of the proceeds and Devorce’s involvement in the conspiracy.

Scope of Trafficking

• Approximately 200 pounds of methamphetamine trafficked into South Dakota
• Over $700,000 laundered through the organization
• Five-year operational period (approximately 2018–2023)

Indictments and Prosecutions

The Devorce investigation has resulted in convictions and sentences of 14 defendants in federal court.

Federal Defendants

Defendant	Role	Status	Sentence
Darrel Devorce  San Jacinto, CA	Leader of the DTO	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 11/3/25	400 months (33 years)
Maurice Logan  Corona, CA	Distributor and transporter	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/9/25	132 months (11 years)
Katrina Marie Green  Sioux Falls, SD	Main local distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 12/18/23	128 months (over 10 years)
Janet Denise Mallet  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on11/27/23	120 months (10 years)
Frank Cortez Baker  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/2/25	132 months (11 years)
Tara Dionne Clayton  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 2/12/24	132 months (11 years)
Amber Louise Justus  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 7/29/24	168 months (14 years)
Gregory Henderson  Sioux Falls, SD	Money launderer	Convicted at trial on 12/4/25; sentenced on 3/16/26	60 months (5 years)
Billy Dickinson  Sioux Falls, SD	Sub-distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 5/15/23	34 months (over 2 years)
Gregory Lamar Bell  Sioux Falls, SD	Unlawful drug user in possession of firearm	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 8/19/24	57 months (over 4 years)
Kurtis Duke  Sioux Falls, SD	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/12/23	58 months (over 5 years)
Julia Precious Ballansaw  Decatur, GA	Distributor	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 6/3/24	70 months (over five years)
Destiny Canty  Riverside, CA	Money launderer	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 2/9/26	34 months (over 2 years)
Nicole Dorrough  San Jacinto, CA	Money launderer	Pleaded guilty; sentenced on 1/26/26	34 months (over two years)

“Devorce is a longtime meth dealer responsible for shipping that poison into South Dakota since at least 2018. He will now be separated from the rest of society for most of the rest of his life.”

— U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons (following Devorce sentencing)

Investigating Agencies

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF); South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI).

These cases were prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Connie Larson, Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb.

Why This Matters

These four organizations represent fundamentally different models of drug trafficking: a long-running, cartel-sourced pipeline from Mexico through Colorado (Sertuche); a multi-year California-to-South Dakota methamphetamine operation (Devorce); a sophisticated, multi-method California- and Nevada-based operation that introduced powder fentanyl to Sioux Falls (Harris); and an Arizona-sourced operation moving narcotics into the Sioux Falls suburbs (Shade). Together they illustrate how out-of-state suppliers, usually with cartel ties, continue to target South Dakota communities, and how federal prosecutors and law enforcement partners are responding.

Fentanyl in particular poses a grave and growing threat. The Harris organization was the first known to introduce powder fentanyl to the Sioux Falls market, a substance lethal in microscopic amounts. The dismantling of these organizations and the substantial federal prison sentences obtained have meaningfully disrupted the flow of these drugs into South Dakota and saved lives.

These results, however, mark the beginning of a sustained effort, not the end of it. Additional defendants in these four prosecutions remain pending trial or pending sentencing. New investigations and new indictments are ongoing, and the work done in taking down these four drug trafficking organizations reflects only a portion of the total felony drug convictions secured by this office over the past year. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota intends to continue its aggressive use of federal prosecution against any drug trafficking organization that targets South Dakota communities, and to do so until the supply networks reaching into this State have been dismantled.

A Coordinated, Multi-Agency Effort

These prosecutions were the product of sophisticated, long-term investigations conducted by federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies, many of which collaborate through long-standing drug task forces operating throughout South Dakota.  The cases reflect the strength of the multi-agency model in which federal and state investigators, prosecutors, postal inspectors, financial crimes specialists, state troopers, tribal law enforcement, and local police and sheriff’s offices each contributed to building cases capable of holding the highest-level traffickers accountable.

Task Forces and Agencies Involved Across the Four Prosecutions

• Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
• U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP)
• Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI)
• U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)
• Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
• Bureau of Indian Affairs-Division of Drug Enforcement (BIA-DDE)
• South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI)
• South Dakota Highway Patrol (SDHP)
• Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force (SFADTF)
• Sioux Falls Police Department
• Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office
• Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET)
• Pennington County Sheriff’s Office
• Rapid City Police Department
• Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS)
• North Metro Denver Drug Task Force
• Wyoming State Highway Patrol

Part of a National Strategy: South Dakota and the Nationwide Effort to Eradicate Cartels and Drug Trafficking

These four DTO takedowns are not isolated victories. They are part of the most comprehensive, whole-of-government campaign to dismantle drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations in modern American history. Beginning on his first day back in office, President Trump set in motion a sweeping series of executive actions, designations, task force structures, and policy directives intended to do what no prior administration has attempted at this scale: achieve the total elimination of the cartels and the eradication of illegal drug trafficking on American soil.  To accomplish this directive, the United States government is utilizing every tool at its disposal: law enforcement, addiction treatment and counseling, border security, trade, the banking system, international diplomacy, and, where authorized, military action.

South Dakota’s prosecutions of the Harris, Devorce, Sertuche, and Shade organizations are an integral part of that national strategy. Each of these cases reaches back, ultimately, to out-of-state and often cartel-connected sources of supply. Each illustrates how the national framework set in Washington translates into convictions, prison sentences, and lives saved in Sioux Falls, Rapid City, the communities of the Pine Ridge Reservation, and across all of South Dakota.

We Are Only Getting Started

New indictments are being returned by federal grand juries on a routine basis. New investigations, including investigations targeting the out-of-state and cartel-connected suppliers above the local distribution networks already dismantled, are underway. Every prosecution that produces a cooperator opens a door to the next organization.

At the national level, the trajectory is the same. The Homeland Security Task Force model, the FTO designation regime, and the consolidated Operation Take Back America framework are all permanent fixtures of federal law enforcement. The Administration has made clear, repeatedly and at the highest level, that the goal is not the disruption of cartels and trafficking organizations, but their total elimination. That work will continue, in South Dakota and across the country, until that goal is achieved.

To the traffickers, distributors, money launderers, and out-of-state suppliers still operating in or targeting South Dakota: the message from this U.S. Attorney’s Office and its federal, state, local, and tribal partners is direct. The cases described in this report are not the end of the work. They are the beginning. Anyone who continues to bring methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, or other deadly drugs into South Dakota communities should expect the same fate as the defendants identified above: federal indictment, federal conviction, and a substantial federal prison sentence.

About Operation Take Back America

Many of these prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the U.S. Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.