A woman from Box Elder, South Dakota, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for her role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. The sentencing of Jenna Holzer, 41, was handed down by U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler on October 28, 2025.
Holzer will also serve five years of supervised release after her prison term and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. She pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance on August 7, 2025, following her indictment by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
According to court documents, Holzer became involved in the methamphetamine distribution operation in 2022. She worked with others to acquire methamphetamine from California, which was often sent through the mail for redistribution in Western South Dakota. Investigators linked multiple packages sent from California to addresses associated with Holzer. On October 16, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Holzer’s vehicle and found an ounce of methamphetamine and about $3,365 in cash. Authorities determined that Holzer had trafficked approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine during her involvement.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at combating illegal immigration and eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The operation combines resources from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The investigation involved several agencies including the U.S. Postal Service, Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), and the Drug Enforcement Administration. UNET includes personnel from the 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. Attorneys Mark Hodges and Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
“Holzer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.”
