Two Rapid City Women Sentenced to 20 Years Each in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced two Rapid City, South Dakota, women convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance Resulting in Death.

Christina Sanchez, age 25, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Katey McGruder, age 35, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Christina Sanchez and Katey McGruder were indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. Sanchez pleaded guilty on May 13, 2024. McGruder pleaded guilty on May 3, 2024. Both women were sentenced on August 9, 2024.

These convictions arose from a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl operating in Rapid City. McGruder and her husband, Curtis Cummings, obtained large amounts of fentanyl from a source in Colorado. They would bring the fentanyl back to Rapid City, where it was further distributed by Sanchez and others. On April 26, 2022, McGruder and Cummings provided the fentanyl to Sanchez, who provided the fentanyl to Wyatt Nygaard. Nygaard then provided the fentanyl to the victim who overdosed and died in the parking lot of a convenience store within minutes of obtaining the fentanyl.

Nygaard was previously sentenced to 23 years and three months in federal prison. Cummings is set for trial on November 5, 2024.

This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET). 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 Dilges and Edward Tarbay prosecuted the case.

Sanchez and McGruder were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their respective sentencing.