Three Convicted Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced to 20-year Federal Prison Terms

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that three individuals have been sentenced in federal court in Sioux Falls to 20-year prison terms for their involvement in two separate methamphetamine trafficking conspiracies in the Sioux Falls area.

Larry Tyler McKay, age 41, and Diane Thomsen, age 51, both of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, were each sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.  McKay was sentenced August 20, and Thomsen was sentenced August 27, 2018.

 In addition, Mario A. Ochoa-Ortiz, age 30, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine by Judge Schreier on August 27, 2018.

The time in prison served by these defendants will be followed by ten years of supervised release. They each were also ordered to each pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victim’s Fund.

“Meth is a scourge on our communities and our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers are doing everything in their power to fight it,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “The sentences imposed on these criminal defendants reflect the gravity of their crimes.  The poison they were seeking to sell in South Dakota would have brought untold suffering to our residents.”

Thomsen and McKay were both indicted by a federal grand jury on October 11, 2017, and pled guilty to their charges.  The investigation of Thomsen and McKay revealed their joint involvement in distributing over 20 pounds of methamphetamine to Sioux Falls.  At the time of his arrest, law enforcement found McKay in possession of approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine and several firearms. Multiple search warrants executed at Thomsen’s residence yielded over 430 grams of methamphetamine.

Ochoa-Ortiz was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 8, 2017, and pled guilty on June 8, 2018. 

The investigation of Ochoa-Ortiz revealed his role as a source of methamphetamine to co-conspirators Cody Baade, Corey Roelfsema, and Anthony Haron, for the purpose of distributing the methamphetamine in Sioux Falls.  During the course of Ochoa-Ortiz’s involvement, he was responsible for arranging the delivery of over 60 pounds of methamphetamine to Sioux Falls from Arizona.  Earlier this year, Baade, Roelfsema, and Haron each received 210, 240, and 151 months, respectively, in federal prison.

Drug trafficking is an inherently violent activity.  Firearms are tools of the trade for drug dealers.  It is common to find drug traffickers armed with guns in order to protect their illegal drug product and cash, and enforce their illegal operations.

These cases are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

These cases was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted both cases.