United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rapid City, South Dakota, man was indicted by a federal grand jury for conspiring to distribute marijuana on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Dustin Hart, age 32, was indicted on July 23, 2013, for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on July 26, 2013, and pled not guilty to the indictment.
The penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of five years imprisonment up to a maximum term of 40 years, and/or a $5,000,000 fine. The charge is merely an accusation and Hart is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Ted L. McBride is prosecuting the case.
Hart was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal. A trial date has not been set.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
