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 Denver woman has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for her involvement in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in South Dakota, including the Rapid City area and the Pine Ridge Reservation. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell after District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier delivered the sentence on August 8, 2025.
Shelina Martinez, 34, will also serve five years of supervised release following her prison term and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. She was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025.
According to court documents, Martinez participated in a drug distribution network between January 2022 and February 2024. Large quantities of methamphetamine were transported from Denver to South Dakota during this period, with Martinez assisting at times with transportation efforts.
The investigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Wyoming State Highway Patrol, and North Metro Denver Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Martinez was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service following her sentencing.
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