A Tea, South Dakota resident has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. The sentencing of Sean Blanchfill, 48, was handed down by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier on March 2, 2026.
Blanchfill will also serve five years of supervised release following his prison term and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025 and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance on November 25, 2025.
According to prosecutors, Blanchfill participated in an organization that acquired methamphetamine in Arizona and distributed it around Sioux Falls. Investigators determined he personally sold more than eight pounds of methamphetamine. The group as a whole trafficked over 100 pounds.
“Our law enforcement partners are working around the clock in Sioux Falls and communities across South Dakota to stamp out methamphetamine and other illegal drugs and put the dealers of these toxic substances behind bars,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “With their hard work, and our southern border as secure as it has ever been, progress is becoming evident, as the crime numbers just released by the Sioux Falls Police Department have shown. State, local, tribal, and federal law enforcement are united in this mission. And this substantial federal prison sentence is one more link in the chain.”
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Blanchfill was remanded immediately into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
