FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE :     Tuesday, May 8, 2012  
CONTACT:    Sara Rabern,  (605) 773-3215 

 
Wisconsin Man Found Guilty in Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana Case

PIERRE, S.D.  –     Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today that a Pennington County court has returned a verdict finding Mario Ernesto Mendoza-Cuellar, 37, Wisconsin, guilty of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, a class 3 felony punishable by up to 15 years imprisonment and/or a $30,000 fine and obstructing a law enforcement officer a class 1 misdemeanor.

Charges stem from a traffic stop that resulted in the discovery of 70 pounds of marijuana. Sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2012 in Pennington County.

With respect to personal use, evidence at trial included testimony that 70 pounds of marijuana would supply a person to smoke a joint every day for 211 years.

This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team and was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office. 
 

 
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