United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.
Norman Lee Ritter, age 48, was indicted on March 15, 2016. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Mark A. Moreno on April 1, 2016, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is at least 5 years, up to 40 years, in custody and/or a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that between Feb. 1, 2015, and March 15, 2016, Ritter knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated and agreed with other persons to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana in South Dakota. The Indictment further alleges that on or about Sept. 17, 2015, in Todd County, Ritter knowingly possessed a firearm and was prohibited from doing so because he had previously been convicted of a felony, was a fugitive from justice, and was a user of and addicted to a controlled substance.
The charges are merely an accusation and Ritter is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan is prosecuting the case.
Ritter was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. Trial has been set for June 7, 2016.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
