Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell has announced the sentencing of a Pine Ridge woman involved in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Stella Caldwell, 29, received a sentence of 12 years and seven months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Additionally, she must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Caldwell was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and entered a guilty plea on December 20, 2024. Her role in the conspiracy included supervising the movement of drugs from co-conspirators to distributors in Pine Ridge and Rapid City, South Dakota.
U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier presided over the case and highlighted the significant harm Caldwell's actions caused to the community. The judge also pointed out that the methamphetamine distributed by Caldwell originated from Mexican cartels and was entirely pure.
The investigation involved several agencies, including the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration, and FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth handled the prosecution.
Following her sentencing on March 7, 2025, Caldwell was placed into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
