DOJ Seal

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney's Office
District of South Dakota

For Immediate Release

Friday, June 12, 2020
Ronald A. Parsons Jr.
, United States Attorney
Contact: Ace Crawford

Tea Man Sentenced on Drug Conspiracy Charge

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Tea, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on June 1, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Bereket Yacob Emahazien, age 46, was sentenced to 135 months in custody, followed by 5 years supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Emahazien was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on May 8, 2019. He pled guilty on March 5, 2020. Beginning on an unknown date and continuing until on or about January 14, 2019, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, Emahazien, did knowingly and intentionally combine, conspire, confederate, and agree together, with others known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture and substance containing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.

Emahazien was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

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St. Paul Field Division