U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell | U.S. Department of Justice
A Watertown man has been found guilty of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, as announced by United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. Heath Kelvin Hagen, 37, was convicted following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Aberdeen. The verdict was delivered on August 1, 2024.
The charges against Hagen carry severe penalties, including a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in custody, and/or a $10 million fine. Additionally, there is a mandatory minimum of five years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hagen was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2023. He was part of a group involved in trafficking thousands of pills in Northeastern South Dakota. According to witnesses, Hagen obtained the pills from Minneapolis and redistributed them primarily in Watertown and Sisseton. Witnesses identified him as the largest fentanyl dealer in Watertown during early 2022.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation has been ordered, with sentencing scheduled for October 21, 2024. Hagen has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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