Three Sioux Falls men and two Sioux Falls women sentenced for conspiracy

 

Date: August 9, 2023

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced three Sioux Falls, South Dakota, men and one Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, and one Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments.

Salvador Magana Madrigal was sentenced on August 7, 2023, to 33 years and four months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.

Oscar Madrigal was sentenced on July 27, 2022, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Rosa Elena Magana Madrigal was sentenced on August 15, 2022, to five years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

William Burt Hartwick was sentenced on November 21, 2022, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Maria D. Magana-Zavala was sentenced on December 27, 2022, to five years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

A sixth co-conspirator, Anahi Plascencia Cardona, will be sentenced on October 30, 2023.

All six defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in the summer of 2021. Oscar Madrigal pleaded guilty on April 4, 2022; Rosa Madrigal pleaded guilty on May 25, 2022; William Hartwick pleaded guilty on August 30, 2022; Maria Magana-Zavala pleaded guilty on October 4, 2022; and Salvador Magana Madrigal and Anahi Plascencia Cardona were found guilty of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering following a four-day federal jury trial in Sioux Falls on May 2, 2023.

The conviction stemmed from activities that started when Salvador Madrigal and Anahi Cardona, who are husband and wife, recruited other members of Madrigal's family to assist them in obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from California and distributing it in Sioux Falls. Salvador Madrigal and Cardona recruited Madrigal's aunt and uncle, Maria Magana Zavala and William Hartwick, to transport methamphetamine by vehicle from California. Eventually Salvador's brother, Oscar, became involved in the conspiracy by assisting his brother in transporting and counting shipments of methamphetamine.

Salvador Madrigal, Jr. and Cardona, along with Salvador's mother, Rosa Madrigal, also intentionally conspired to knowingly conduct wire/money transfers which involved the proceeds of unlawful activities. The group conducted numerous financial transactions intended to transfer the proceeds from methamphetamine sales, while concealing the nature and ownership of the money.

This case was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.

All five defendants were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their respective sentencing.