Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced to 20 Years In Federal Prison In Fentanyl Overdose Case

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Sioux Falls woman convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on November 4, 2021 by District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Halie Sletten, age 43, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Sletten was indicted for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury on October 6, 2020.  She pled guilty on August 20, 2021.

On or about January 17, 2020, in the District of South Dakota, Sletten knowingly and intentionally distributed fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, and heroin, a Schedule I controlled substance, and the distribution of said fentanyl and heroin resulted in the serious bodily injury of Victim #1, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1).

Victim #1 injected the fentanyl and heroin that Sletten distributed to him. The fentanyl and heroin injected by Victim #1 caused Victim #1 to sustain an overdose. Paramedics were called and administered two doses of Narcan to Victim # 1, which revived him.  Victim #1 would not have sustained an overdose if not for the fentanyl and heroin Sletten distributed. The overdose caused Victim #1 a substantial risk of death.

This case was investigated by the Brandon Police Department, Sioux Fall Police Department, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.

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

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