An Ellsworth, Minnesota resident has been sentenced to more than 22 years in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange delivered the sentence to Lugene Rafael Russell, 56, on October 27, 2025.
Russell received a sentence of 22 and a half years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
According to court documents, Russell was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024 and pleaded guilty on August 5, 2025. The charges are connected to events from July 2024 when law enforcement responded to his home in Ellsworth after receiving a report of a crime. Deputies from the Nobles County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant and discovered about half a pound of methamphetamine and a pistol inside the residence. After receiving an additional tip, deputies returned and found approximately twelve pounds of methamphetamine and three more firearms.
The investigation determined that Russell collaborated with others to obtain methamphetamine and distribute it, including distribution efforts reaching the Crow Creek and Lower Brule reservations in South Dakota.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) along with the Nobles County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Russell was immediately remanded into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
