OPIOID CRISIS UPDATE:

SIOUX FALLS, SD – In the ongoing coordinated law enforcement effort to combat the opioid crisis in South Dakota, United States Attorney Ron Parsons announces that two more individuals have been indicted by a federal grand jury and made their initial appearances before federal magistrate judge Veronica L. Duffy on heroin- and fentanyl-related charges.

Andy Ontiveros, age 38, of South Gate, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.  Ontiveros was found to be in possession of several pounds of heroin and fentanyl by the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office and South Dakota Highway Patrol.  This is believed to be the largest seizure of both heroin and powdered fentanyl in South Dakota history.

In addition, Corrod Phillips, age 26, of Chicago, Illinois, was indicted by a federal grand jury for possession with intent to distribute heroin.  Phillips was arrested by Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force members in possession of several grams of heroin.

Both men appeared before Judge Duffy in federal district court in Sioux Falls on June 15, 2018.  Phillips was returned to the custody of the Minnehaha County Sheriff, and Ontiveros was placed into the custody of the U.S. Marshals.  If convicted, Phillips faces a maximum of twenty years in federal prison; Ontiveros faces a mandatory period of 10 years in federal prison and a maximum of life.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is working closely with the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and our other federal, state and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these cases.  

“Our local law enforcement partners deserve all of the credit for these investigations and arrests,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “They have taken a tremendous amount of these deadly drugs off of the street – enough to kill thousands of people.  We owe a debt of gratitude to these dedicated teams of law enforcement professionals who are working hard every day to save lives by keeping this poison out of our communities.”

The charges are merely accusations and these defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.