Washington Man Sentenced for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Puyallup, Washington, man convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death was sentenced on December 2, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Ian Royal Bjornstad, age 42, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Bjornstad was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 13, 2018.  He pled guilty on September 6, 2019.

The conviction stemmed from an incident on or about September 27, 2016, when Bjornstad knowingly and intentionally distributed heroin to another person in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  That person used the heroin Bjornstad sold him and shortly thereafter overdosed and died from it.  But for the use of the heroin, that person would not have died. 

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.

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