Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A Rapid City woman has been sentenced to nearly three years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell and took place on July 25, 2025, before District Judge Karen E. Schreier.
Kiana Pilcher, 29, received a sentence of two years and eleven months in federal prison. She will also serve three years of supervised release following her prison term and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Pilcher was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024 for conspiracy to commit money laundering and pleaded guilty on May 5, 2025.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Pilcher assisted others involved in a cocaine distribution operation by moving proceeds from drug sales through electronic transactions. Investigators found that about $90,000 in cash was deposited into Pilcher’s bank account via ATM deposits, which was then used to send funds to drug sources located in Texas. Authorities also determined that more than three kilograms of cocaine were distributed in the Rapid City area during the time Pilcher participated in the conspiracy.
The investigation was conducted by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Division of Criminal Investigation. UNET includes members from several agencies: Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
"Pilcher was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service."
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