A Fort Thompson man has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy in central South Dakota. The sentencing of Weston Big Eagle, 47, was announced by United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell and took place on June 23, 2025, under U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte.
Big Eagle will also serve five years of supervised release following his prison term and is required to pay a $1,000 fine along with a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The case against Big Eagle began with an indictment by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He entered a guilty plea on March 19, 2025.
The charges relate to a drug conspiracy that started in January 2023 and continued until December 2023. Big Eagle was part of a group distributing methamphetamine across central South Dakota, including areas within the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservations. The conspiracy involved over 500 grams of methamphetamine.
The investigation 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 placed into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
