Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Frank Cotto, a resident of Rapid City, South Dakota, has been sentenced to 11 years and three months in federal prison. The sentencing was delivered by U.S. District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier following Cotto's conviction for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
Cotto, aged 38, will also serve four years of supervised release after his prison term and is required to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and entered a guilty plea on December 11, 2024.
The charges stem from an incident on November 30, 2023, when Cotto was stopped by law enforcement after returning from Colorado with drugs intended for distribution in the Rapid City area. During the vehicle search, officers discovered over 2,000 fentanyl pills and six pounds of methamphetamine along with a handgun found in the car door. Due to his use of methamphetamine and marijuana, Cotto is classified as a prohibited person.
This case falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and gun violence through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The Department launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy on May 26, 2021, focusing on building community trust, supporting preventive community-based organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and evaluating outcomes.
The investigation involved the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan N. Dilges and Edward Tarbay led the prosecution.
Following his sentencing, Cotto was placed into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
