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 woman from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, has been sentenced to more than 19 years in federal prison for her involvement in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy that affected both Pine Ridge and Rapid City. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell.
Kealey Twiss, age 32, received a sentence of 19 years and two months in federal prison. She will also serve five years of supervised release after her imprisonment and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Twiss was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 on charges related to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025.
According to the investigation, Twiss played a leading role in distributing large quantities of methamphetamine within the region. Authorities determined that she set prices, organized distribution operations, and coordinated interstate trips to obtain methamphetamine for further distribution in South Dakota.
In delivering the sentence of 230 months in prison, U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier addressed the significant harm caused by methamphetamine use within the Pine Ridge community: "Judge Schreier denounced the terrible impact methamphetamine has on the Pine Ridge community."
The case was investigated by several agencies including the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Following sentencing, Twiss was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
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