A Minnesota man has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine on Indian reservations in South Dakota. The sentencing of Francisco Javier Mendez, 40, took place on February 24, 2025, as announced by United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell.
U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange handed down the sentence, which includes five years of supervised release following imprisonment and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Victims Fund.
Mendez was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. He pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge on November 22, 2024.
The case dates back to June 18, 2023, when Mendez was stopped in Thayer County, Nebraska while traveling as a passenger in a vehicle. Officers discovered he had approximately 1,359 grams of methamphetamine concealed on him. Mendez admitted that he and the driver were returning from Wichita, Kansas with the intent to distribute the drugs on South Dakota reservations. He also revealed they had made similar trips previously.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce.
Following his sentencing, Mendez was placed into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.