Department of Justice
For Immediate Release
Box Elder Woman Sentenced to 24 1/2 Years for Meth Trafficking Conspiracy
Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Box Elder, South Dakota, woman who pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on July 29, 2021, by Judge Karen E. Schreier, U.S. District Court.
Jennifer Cagle, age 32, was sentenced to 24 1/2 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Jennifer Cagle was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on July 23, 2020. She pleaded guilty on April 2, 2021.
During her involvement in the conspiracy, the defendant dispersed methamphetamine to others for use and further distribution in the Rapid City area. Over the course of her involvement, she bought and sold several pounds. The defendant also obtained firearms during the course of the conspiracy. The defendant also had methamphetamine sent to her through the mail.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota National Guard, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn N. Rich prosecuted the case. Cagle was immediately returned to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.