Date: April 11, 2023 Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov Sioux Falls — United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that District Court Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced Sean Gross, of Phoenix Arizona, and Brandie Rinnet, of Bullhead City, Arizona, on charges of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencings took place on April 10, 2023. Sean Richard Gross, was sentenced to 26 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release on Count 1, Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. Additionally, he was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release on Count 2, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. These sentences to run concurrently to one another. He was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Brandie Rinnet, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, on the charge of Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Gross and Rinnet were indicted together, along with three others, by a federal grand jury in December of 2021. Gross pleaded guilty on January 17, 2023, and Rinnet pleaded guilty on January 18, 2023. Gross, along with others, came to an understanding to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in the District of South Dakota, and elsewhere. During Gross' involvement, he reached an agreement to provide methamphetamine to Christopher Daniels in South Dakota. Daniels was previously sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for his involvement in this conspiracy. Gross sent Daniels methamphetamine to South Dakota through the mail and also delivered it to him in person, so that Daniels could further distribute the methamphetamine throughout South Dakota. Daniels would then send the proceeds of his meth sales in South Dakota to Brandie Rinnet in Arizona, who accepted and attempted to conceal these transactions on behalf of Sean Gross. Gross instructed Daniels, and others, on the manner in which they should wire the money for the purpose of concealing the fact that the money sent was acquired from the sale of methamphetamine and to avoid implicating Gross' involvement. Gross had multiple conversations with Daniels and Rinnet regarding the movement of funds derived from the sale of methamphetamine on behalf of the conspiracy. This case was investigated by the IRS Criminal Investigation team, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office, Moody County Sheriff's Office, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Gross and Rinnet were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
