Attorney General Jackley Announces Multi-Agency Investigation Leads To Drug Arrest
PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces a Rapid City man was arrested Tuesday, Nov. 12, on six drug charges following an investigation conducted by federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Nicholas Edward Schell, 28, is charged with one felony count each of Possession with Intent to Distribute in a Drug Free Zone; Maintaining a Place Where Drugs are Kept, Sold or Used; Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance (Hashish and Edibles); Possession of a Schedule I Controlled Substance (Psilocybin Mushrooms); and Possession with Intent to Distribute one pound or more of Marijuana. Schell also is charged with a misdemeanor count of possession of drug paraphernalia.
“These are serious crimes that prey on our communities,” said Attorney General Jackley. “Thank you for the exceptional cooperative work of all law enforcement involved in this investigation.”
Schell was identified as a possible supplier of marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, hashish, and THC Edible products in Rapid City. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Unified Narcotic Enforcement Team (UNET), which consists of the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the South Dakota Highway Patrol, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, and the South Dakota National Guard Counter Drug Program, initiated the investigation which determined Schell was involved with the distribution of illegal substances.
A South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper and a Pennington County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted multiple traffic stops in connection to this investigation. During one traffic stop of Schell’s vehicle, a Rapid City Police Department K9 dog was deployed. Two handguns were seized along with drug paraphernalia and approximately $1,400 cash.
UNET and DEA conducted a follow up search warrant at Schell’s residence. Law enforcement recovered more than13 pounds of marijuana, nine pounds of Psilocybin Mushrooms, multiple pounds of THC edibles, THC Wax/Hashish, and THC Cartridges. The search also led to the discovery of 13 additional firearms and more than $160,000 in U.S. currency.
Schell made his first court appearance Thursday, Nov. 14, and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 27. He is being held in the Pennington County Jail and is presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution. The case is being prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office.
Participating law enforcement agencies in this investigation were DCI, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration and the UNET.
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It will only get worse if they fully legalize and commercialize recreational THC.
Lock them up and throw away the keys or lace them in a shark tank.
Candidate Donald J. Trump said that he would like the death penalty for drug dealers.
“As we legalize it (marijuana) throughout the country, whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, it’s awfully hard to have people all over the jails that are in jail right now for something that’s legal,” Trump said during the press conference.
In his Truth Social post, Trump expanded, “I believe it is time to end needless arrests and incarcerations of adults for small amounts of marijuana for personal use.”