A Sioux Falls man, Elizeo Kalimba, 33, has been convicted in federal court for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. The verdict was delivered on October 24, 2025, after a four-day jury trial in Sioux Falls.
Kalimba faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and up to a $10 million fine. He also faces up to a lifetime term of supervised release and must pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. There are mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years for the conspiracy charge and five years for the possession charge.
According to authorities, Kalimba collaborated with another individual to acquire thousands of fentanyl pills from Arizona for distribution in Sioux Falls. The Sioux Falls Police Department used a confidential informant who made two controlled purchases of fentanyl pills from Kalimba. A search warrant executed at his residence resulted in the seizure of approximately 3,900 pills. Investigators estimate that Kalimba trafficked more than 10,000 fentanyl pills.
Kalimba was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024.
The investigation involved several agencies: the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation has been ordered, with sentencing scheduled for February 9, 2026. Kalimba is currently in custody with the U.S. Marshals Service.
