Spearfish Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Western South Dakota

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a woman from Spearfish, South Dakota, for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance.  The sentencing took place on January 12, 2026.

Sindy Richards, 35, was sentenced to 20 years, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Richards was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in November 2024.  She pleaded guilty on October 6, 2025.

A prolific drug dealer in western South Dakota, Richards joined a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in 2023.  During her involvement, she worked with others to obtain methamphetamine from California, typically through the mail, for redistribution in and around the Black Hills.  Richards was identified by law enforcement as being closely associated with the main drug dealer in this case, assisting him in meeting with other co-conspirators within the Rapid City area to further distribute methamphetamine.  Investigators determined Richards was involved in trafficking approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine during her involvement in the conspiracy.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service, the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Hodges and Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

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