Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Ten Years on Drug and Firearm Charges

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute, Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, and Distribution of a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on November 28, 2022.

Willie Gene Murphy, Jr., 51, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Murphy Jr. was indicted for an assortment of federal firearms and drug charges by a federal grand jury in February of 2022. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on September 1, 2022.  He continued to trial on the charges of Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Distribute and Distribution of a Controlled Substance, where he was found guilty on both charges by a jury on September 7, 2022.

After a source of information shared reliable information to law enforcement about Murphy Jr. selling methamphetamine, a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Murphy Jr. was conducted. Later, a traffic stop was executed on Murphy Jr., which resulted in the seizure of almost 14 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine. His home was subsequently searched, which resulted in the seizure of an additional 124 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine, along with two pistols and an AR-15 rifle. Murphy Jr. is a convicted felon and is prohibited from owning firearms, due to a prior conviction for possession of a controlled substance.

This case was investigated by the South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.

Murphy Jr. was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.