Three Men Sentenced For Possession Of A Controlled Substance

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that 3 men from South Dakota convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance were sentenced on April 16, 2013 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno.

Dennis Red Elk, age 32, of Rapid City, was sentenced to 5 months of imprisonment, $1,000 fine and $25 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund. Maurice Johnson, age 33, of Rapid City, was sentenced to time served, $1,000 fine and $25 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund, and Daniel Gangone, age 35, of Mission, was sentenced to 12 months of probation, a $1,000 fine, and $25 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.

Red Elk, Johnson, and Gangone were indicted by a federal grand jury on August 22, 2012 and pled guilty to a Superseding Information on January 17, 2013. The charges stem from incidents on March 27, 2010 wherein Red Elk and Johnson came into contact with law enforcement officers, who discovered marijuana in the defendants’ possession. Gangone was implicated during the investigation as having possessed marijuana.

The investigation was conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case.

Red Elk was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshal Service. Johnson is to be turned over to the state authorities for a parole violation.