Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A Rapid City woman has been sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell and took place on July 25, 2025, before District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Kiana Pilcher, 29, received a sentence of two years and eleven months in federal prison. She will also serve three years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Pilcher was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024 for her role in the conspiracy and pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025.
According to court documents, Pilcher assisted several individuals involved in a cocaine distribution operation by helping move money from drug sales through electronic transactions. Authorities reported that Pilcher allowed drug proceeds to be deposited into her bank account, which she then used to send funds to sources in Texas. Investigators found that approximately $90,000 was deposited into her account via ATM deposits during the course of the scheme. The group distributed more than three kilograms of cocaine in the Rapid City area while Pilcher participated.
The investigation was led by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Division of Criminal Investigation. UNET includes members from multiple law enforcement agencies: Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
"Pilcher was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service."
