Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Faulkton, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
Frank Daniel Facinelli, age 49, was indicted on February 8, 2021. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on April 28, 2021, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum five years, up to 40 years in prison and/or a $5,000,000 fine, at least four years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that beginning at a time unknown, but no later than on or before Oct. 1, 2020, the Defendant knowingly and intentionally, combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed with persons known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in and around Faulkton.
The charge is merely an accusation and Facinelli is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Faulk County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.
Facinelli was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
