United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that five Eagle Butte, South Dakota, residents convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance have now been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
On April 13, 2016, all five defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. All five defendants pled guilty to that same charge.
Kristina Rae Lofton, a/k/a Kristina Rae Moran, age 37, pled guilty on November 8, 2016, and was sentenced on January 30, 2017, to 132 months in custody, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Robert Earlwin Lofton, Jr., a/k/a Robert Erwin Lofton, Jr., a/k/a Blue Lofton, age 35, pled guilty on September 27, 2016, and was sentenced on December 19, 2016, to 78 months in custody, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Tyler James Peterson, age 36, pled guilty on November 7, 2016, and was sentenced on January 30, 2017, to 70 months in custody, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Stephanie Fawn Lofton, a/k/a Stephanie Fawn Clark, age 39, pled guilty on November 14, 2016, and was sentenced on January 31, 2017, to 68 months in custody, to be followed by 4 years of supervised release.
Ashley Marie Peterson, age 34, pled guilty on October 24, 2016, and was sentenced on January 23, 2017, to 38 months in custody, to be followed by 2 years of supervised release.
All of the defendants were also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100, and the forfeiture of United States currency, firearms, and ammunition seized by law enforcement.
March of 2014 and July of 2016, Kristina, Robert and Stephanie Lofton, and Tyler and Ashley Peterson, knowingly and intentionally conspired and agreed with each other, and with others, to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II Controlled Substance, in and around the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation and elsewhere in South Dakota. Beginning in March of 2014, the defendants received distributable quantities of methamphetamine from individuals who knew that they intended to engage in further distribution of the methamphetamine. The defendants further distributed the methamphetamine to others within South Dakota.
Kristina Lofton admitted to being the organizer or leader in the conspiracy and distributed methamphetamine to numerous participants. The Court found that Kristina Lofton was responsible for distributing between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine. Robert Lofton was arrested with firearms, ammunition, and U.S. currency, which were seized by law enforcement. The Court found that Robert Lofton, Stephanie Lofton, Tyler Peterson, and Ashley Peterson distributed between 350 grams and 500 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Narcotics Division, and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case.
The defendants were immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing.