Martin Man Found Guilty Of Distribution Of Morphine

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that on June 20, 2013, Alex Lee Salway, age 54, of Martin, South Dakota was found guilty by a federal jury in U.S. District Court on two counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance

Each charge carries a maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $2,000,000 fine, or both.

Salway was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 19, 2012 as part of Operation Prairie Pharm, a controlled substance investigation that resulted in 12 individuals being indicted for drug distribution offenses in Bennett County.

The charges against Salway stem from him selling and distributing morphine pills, within 1,000 feet of a public elementary school in Martin, on two separate occasions on January 27, 2012.

This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services, the Martin Police Department, and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura A. Shattuck prosecuted the case.

Salway remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshal. A sentencing date has not been set.