Pierre Man Indicted on Methamphetamine 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.

Charles Olson, a/k/a Chip Olson, age 48, was indicted on October 16, 2019.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on October 25, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each Count.  Restitution may also be ordered. 

The Indictment alleges that between December 1, 2018, and October 16, 2019, Olson 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 methamphetamine. Further, on June 23, 2019, a traffic stop was conducted wherein 236 grams of methamphetamine was located in the vehicle.

The charge is merely an accusation and Olson is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.   

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