United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a woman from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, has been sentenced for her involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier handed down the sentence to Stella Caldwell, aged 29, on March 7, 2025.
Caldwell received a prison term of 12 years and seven months, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The federal grand jury indicted Caldwell in February 2024, and she pleaded guilty on December 20, 2024. The charges against her involved distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in Pine Ridge and Rapid City, South Dakota. Caldwell had a supervisory role within the conspiracy, overseeing the movement of drugs from co-conspirators to other distributors.
During sentencing, Judge Schreier expressed concern over the impact of Caldwell's actions on the community. The judge highlighted that the methamphetamine distributed by Caldwell originated from Mexican cartels and was pure.
The investigation into this case was conducted by several agencies: Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth led the prosecution.
Following her sentencing, Caldwell was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.