A woman from Spearfish, South Dakota, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for her role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler on January 12, 2026.
Sindy Richards, age 35, 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.
According to court records, Richards was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024 and pleaded guilty on October 6, 2025. Authorities said that she became involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy in 2023, working with others to obtain methamphetamine from California—often through the mail—for redistribution around the Black Hills region. Law enforcement identified Richards as being closely associated with the main drug dealer in the case and assisting him with meetings among co-conspirators within Rapid City to further distribute methamphetamine.
Investigators estimated that Richards was involved in trafficking about 100 pounds of methamphetamine during her participation in the conspiracy.
The investigation into this case involved several agencies: the U.S. Postal Service, the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), and the Drug Enforcement Administration. UNET includes members from multiple law enforcement organizations such as 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.
Following sentencing, Richards was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
