Mission Woman Sentenced on Meth and Firearm Charges

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, was sentenced on August 26, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Micole Lynn Menard, age 36, was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for the conspiracy conviction. She was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for the firearm conviction. The sentences will be served concurrently. In addition, Menard was ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.

Menard was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 13, 2018. She pled guilty on May 2, 2019.

The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy that occurred between October 1, 2016, and January 31, 2017, in which Menard and co-defendant Walter Wright, knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute between 1.5 kilograms and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine.  Further, on January 18, 2017, during the execution of a search warrant at their home, 267 grams of methamphetamine and other drug paraphilia were seized from the home along with four firearms.  Menard, being an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, did knowingly illegally possess those firearms.

Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity.  Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers.  It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of its renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and local communities to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.

Menard was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.