Rapid City Man Convicted in Federal Jury Trial of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Curtis Cummings, age 39, of Rapid City, South Dakota, of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on November 7, 2024.

The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 20 years up to life in custody and/or a $10,000,000 fine, five years up to life of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

Cummings was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2023.

Cummings was part of a large-scale distribution of fentanyl in the Rapid City area from December of 2021 through June of 2023. Cummings and others traveled to Colorado on a weekly basis to obtain significant quantities of fentanyl pills. When they returned to Rapid City, Cummings distributed the fentanyl pills from his home. During the course of the conspiracy fentanyl pills distributed by Cummings, and others working for him, were consumed by an individual on April 26, 2022, resulting in the overdose death of that individual.

This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Agency. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff's Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan N. Dilges and Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.

A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date was set for January 24, 2025. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.