Minnesota Man Found Guilty on Methamphetamine Charges

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Frank Edward Adams, a/k/a Tank Adams, age 45, of St. Paul, Minnesota, was found guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance as a result of a four-day federal jury trial in Pierre, South Dakota.

The conviction carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years, or up to life in federal prison, and/or a $10,000,000 fine, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. 

Adams was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 14, 2018.

The jury found that from December 1, 2015 until November 14, 2018, Adams had knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, which is a Schedule II controlled substance, on the Crow Creek and Lower Brule reservations in South Dakota.

Evidence at trial established that Adams was the nucleus of a large drug trafficking conspiracy that involved well over 500 grams of methamphetamine. Adams, of St. Paul, Minnesota, supplied large quantities of methamphetamine several times a month to the Crow Creek and Lower Brule reservations in South Dakota.  Adams employed several dealers on both reservations.  Evidence at trial included audio calls, correspondence, drug ledgers, text messages and methamphetamine recovered during a traffic stop and a separate search of a residence.

“This Defendant specifically targeted Native American communities,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.  “We are gratified by the jury’s verdict in this case and thank law enforcement officers for their combined efforts on behalf of all South Dakotans to help expose this methamphetamine epidemic.”

 This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule Agency, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Pierre Police Department, and the Minnesota State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges and Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for November 18, 2019.  The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.