United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man and woman have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Renae Jo Pacheco, a/k/a Renae Jo Hopkins, age 51, and Thomas Pacheco, Sr., age 29, were indicted on Aug. 11, 2020. They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on Aug. 24, 2020, and pled not guilty to their Indictments.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum 10 years, up to life in prison and/or a $10,000,000 fine, at least 5 years, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each Count. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictments allege that beginning at a time unknown but no later than on or about Jan. 1, 2015, and continuing to on or about Jan. 1, 2020, Hopkins and Pacheco, did knowingly and intentionally, combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with persons known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.
The charges are merely accusations and Hopkins and Pacheco are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Hopkins was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. Pacheco was released pending trial. Trial dates have not been set.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
