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Press Release

Pierre Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pierre, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine was sentenced on April 6, 2020, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.

Melissa Jean Scull, age 39, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Scull was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 16, 2019. She pled guilty on December 5, 2019.

The conviction stemmed from a conspiracy that occurred between February 1, 2019, and July 16, 2019, in which Scull, knowingly and intentionally, conspired and agreed with others to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in and around the Pierre and Ft. Pierre Communities.  As part of the conspiracy, Scull and her co-defendants traveled to Denver, Colorado, to pick up methamphetamine.  On June 23, 2019, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of co-defendant Frank Miller’s vehicle, of which Scull was a passenger, wherein 236 grams of methamphetamine, a scale, pipes, and other items of distribution were found.

This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Pierre Police Department, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.

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

Updated April 9, 2020

Topic
Drug Trafficking