FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, October 4, 2017
CONTACT: Sara Rabern (605) 773-3215
PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Marty Jackley and Hughes County State’s Attorney Wendy Kloeppner announced today that Karen Sawyer Monical, 35, Sioux City, Iowa, and Brian M. Picotte, 37, Sioux City, Iowa, were arrested on September 15, 2017, on numerous drug charges with the help of an anonymous tip received by the Hughes County Sheriff’s Office as part of Project Stand Up.
“This anonymous text tip line was created to encourage South Dakotans to report suspicious drug activity though a simple text. Citizens can be the eyes and ears and the great resource to assist law enforcement,” said Jackley. “These arrests are great examples of how local, state and federal authorities and now the private citizen can work together to take drugs off the streets and keep our communities safe.”
On 9/14/17, the Hughes County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that detailed the name, location, license plate number and specific activity being observed that allowed investigators to locate this know subject who was wanted on a felony warrant out of Iowa. During the subsequent investigation by the Pierre Police Department, evidence of illegal drug possession was found. The two individuals were arrested on the following charges:
Karen Sawyer Monical
• One count of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, class 5 felony, punishable by up to 5 years in the state penitentiary and/or $10,000
• One count of keeping a place for use or sale of controlled substance, methamphetamine, class 5 felony, punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment and/or $10,000
• One count of unauthorized ingestion of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, class 5 felony, punishable by up to 5 years in the state penitentiary and/or $10,000
• One count of ingestion of marijuana, class 1 misdemeanor
• One count of possession of drug paraphernalia, One count of possession of drug paraphernalia, class 2 misdemeanor
Brian M. Picotte
• One count of possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, methamphetamine, class 5 felony, punishable by up to 5 years in the state penitentiary and/or $10,000
• One count of keeping a place for use or sale of controlled substance, methamphetamine, class 5 felony, punishable by up to 5 years imprisonment and/or $10,000
• One count possession of marijuana less than two ounces, class 1 misdemeanor
• One count possession of drug paraphernalia, class 2 misdemeanor
Both Monical and Picotte are presumed innocent until such time as proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Task Force and U.S. Marshall’s Office and prosecuted by the Hughes County Office of the State’s Attorney.
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