Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A Rapid City man has been sentenced to 17 years and six months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in and around Rapid City, South Dakota. The sentencing of Andre Gibson, 46, was handed down by District Judge Karen E. Schreier on July 25, 2025.
Gibson will also serve five years of supervised release following his prison term and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024 and pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025.
According to court records, Gibson received multiple packages containing methamphetamine through the United States Mail Service from states surrounding South Dakota. He collaborated with others both inside and outside the state to distribute between 1.5 and 5 kilograms of methamphetamine—equivalent to between three and eleven pounds—in the Rapid City area.
“More and more often, criminals are shipping narcotics through the U.S. mail system,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “Fortunately, our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners are highly skilled at intercepting these packages and tracking down suspects, thereby allowing the U.S. Attorney’s Office to secure federal convictions and pursue significant prison sentences, just as we did against Andre Gibson.”
The investigation involved several agencies: the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), South Dakota Highway Patrol, Rapid City Police Department, and Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Following sentencing, Gibson was remanded into custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
