Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced to Over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Sioux Falls

SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on July 27, 2026. Jannelle Olson, 47, was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Olson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2025. She pleaded guilty on May 4, 2026. The investigation in this matter revealed that Olson’s co-conspirator transported methamphetamine from Omaha to Sioux Falls to have it redistributed there. Olson obtained methamphetamine from her co-conspirator on multiple occasions and lined up customers for him to sell to. On July 31, 2025, investigators met Olson and her co-conspirator after they tracked a phone moving from Omaha to Sioux Falls. They caught Olson with approximately two pounds of methamphetamine in her vehicle and found an additional two pounds of methamphetamine in her co-conspirator’s vehicle. In total, investigators determined Olson was responsible for distributing approximately seven pounds of methamphetamine during her involvement in the conspiracy. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case. Olson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.