United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that two Mission, South Dakota, individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Richard William Neiss, age 45, and Wastewin Jonnie Waukechon, age 38, were indicted on March 15, 2017. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 13, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody and/or a $1,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between May 1, 2014, and February 8, 2017, Neiss and Waukechon knowingly and intentionally conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in South Dakota.
The charges are merely accusations and Neiss and Waukechon are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case.
Neiss and Waukechon were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.