Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A Fort Thompson man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for his involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy in central South Dakota. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell and delivered by U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte on June 23, 2025.
Weston Big Eagle, aged 47, will also face five years of supervised release following his prison term. Additionally, he is required to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Big Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2024 and pleaded guilty on March 19, 2025. His conviction is related to a drug conspiracy that spanned from January 2023 to December 2023. He participated with others in distributing methamphetamine across central South Dakota, including the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservations. It was noted that over 500 grams of methamphetamine were distributed as part of this operation.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges led the prosecution.
Following his sentencing, Big Eagle was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
