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Attorney General Marty Jackley

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Sioux Falls Area Drug Investigation Results in Several Arrests

Sioux Falls Area Drug Investigation Results in Several Arrests 

PIERRE, S.D.-   The Sioux Falls Drug Task Force said today that several individuals from Sioux Falls were arrested over the past weekend for their roles in the possession and distribution of marijuana, cocaine, ecstasy and methamphetamine. The investigation that took place over several months culminated with four residential search warrants, three children taken into protective custody by the Department of Social Services and nine arrests.  Agencies contributing to these efforts were the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux Falls Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Details on the arrests are listed below.

Subjects Arrested

Christian Edgar Herrera (8-15-87) Sioux Falls, SD

  • Possession with intent to distribute cocaine 
  • Distribution in a drug free zone (school) 
  • Possession of cocaine

Jason Eric Cortes (10-26-85) Sioux Falls, SD

  • Possession with intent to distribute cocaine 
  • Possession with intent to distribute marijuana 
  • Possession of cocaine 
  • Maintaining a place for using controlled substances

Sarah Maria Bach (7-22-86) Sioux Falls, SD

  • Possession with intent to distribute cocaine 
  • Possession of cocaine 
  • Possession with intent to distribute marijuana 
  • Maintaining a place for using controlled substances 
  • Child neglect and abuse (6 month of boy)

Christopher Louis Solheim (7-8-87) Sioux Falls, SD

  • Maintaining a place for using controlled substances 
  • Possession of marijuana 
  • Possession of drug paraphernalia

Ricky Ricardo Martinez (3-12-76) Sioux Falls, SD

  • Distribution of cocaine 
  • Possession of cocaine 
  • Distribution in a drug free zone (school) 
  • Maintaining a place for using controlled substances 
  • Possession of marijuana

Laura Lara Martinez (12-10-74) Sioux Falls, SD

  • Distribution of cocaine 
  • Possession of cocaine 
  • Distribution in a drug free zone (school) 
  • Maintaining a place for using controlled substances 
  • Possession of marijuana 
  • Child neglect and abuse (girl – 11 & boy -13)

Langkeo Chanthavong (8-16-80) Sioux Falls, SD

  • Distribution of ecstasy (MDMA) 
  • Possession of cocaine 
  • Possession of marijuana

Efren Cantano Rodriguez a.k.a. Hugo Almeida-Ponce (2-20-77) Denver, CO

  • INS hold 
  • Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine

Controlled Substances Seized

Cocaine

  • 3.14 pounds = $142,879 street value

Methamphetamine

  • 6.8 ounces = $20,678 street value

MDMA a.k.a. Ecstasy

  • 35 pills = $500 street value

Marijuana

  • 5.7 ounces = $1,000 street value

Currency and Property Seized

  • Saturn VUE SUV 
  • Chevrolet Pickup 
  • Ford Explorer 
  • $9330 US currency 
  • $8800 worth of new furniture 
  • Beretta 9mm handgun 
  • Laptop computer, modem, router

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