PINE RIDGE, S.D. - A 32-year-old Pine Ridge woman has been sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for her leading role in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy in Pine Ridge and Rapid City.

Kealey Twiss set prices, organized distribution and made interstate trips to obtain meth for resale in South Dakota. In sentencing her to 230 months, U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier denounced the devastating impact meth has had on Pine Ridge.

The Pine Ridge Reservation is under a state of emergency due to drug trafficking and rising violence. Tribal leaders have called for funding for at least 50 additional officers, tougher enforcement of drug and alcohol laws by federal agencies, and expanded jail space.

Twiss was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 and pleaded guilty in June 2025 to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance.

The case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.