United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell has announced the sentencing of Jeffrey Cooley, a 36-year-old man from Rapid City, South Dakota, for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier sentenced Cooley to two and a half years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Additionally, Cooley is required to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Cooley was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024 and entered a guilty plea on September 20, 2024. He was involved in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine within South Dakota. The investigation revealed that Cooley obtained cocaine from a co-conspirator on multiple occasions and distributed it further within the state. The co-conspirator sent packages containing cocaine to Cooley's residence, one of which was intercepted by law enforcement in April 2023 with approximately half a pound of cocaine inside. Throughout his involvement, the group managed to distribute multiple kilograms of cocaine.

The case was investigated by several agencies including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team from Rapid City, and the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges led the prosecution.

Following his sentencing, Cooley was immediately placed into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.