Pierre Man Indicted on Meth and Gun Charges

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

Dustin Warnke, age 34, was indicted on November 13, 2019.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on November 26, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum 10 years, up to life in federal prison and/or a $10,000,000 fine, at least 5 years, up to life of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that beginning at a time unknown but no later than on or about the 1st day of March, 2018, and continuing to on or about November 13, 2019, Warnke did knowingly and intentionally, combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with persons known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. Further, on the 5th day of January 2019, Warnke, knowing he was an unlawful user of and addicted to a controlled substance, knowingly possessed a .40 Smith & Wesson caliber, semi-automatic pistol.

The charges are merely accusations and Warnke is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

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.

The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Pierre Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.   

Warnke was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.