Sioux Empire Today

A mother and son have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in distributing thousands of fentanyl pills in the Sioux Falls area and for money laundering. The sentencing was announced by United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell.

Sean Swiftbird, 27, from Sioux Falls, received an 11-year federal prison sentence on April 22, 2025. He will also serve five years of supervised release and must pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Laurie Swiftbird, 67, from Luverne, Minnesota and Sean’s mother, was sentenced on August 4, 2025, to two years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. She is also required to pay a $200 special assessment.

The two were indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023 on charges of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Sean Swiftbird pleaded guilty on February 4, 2025; Laurie Swiftbird pleaded guilty on September 6, 2024.

According to prosecutors, Sean Swiftbird collaborated with others in Sioux Falls throughout 2023 to distribute thousands of fentanyl pills. Laurie Swiftbird later became involved by accepting packages containing pills at her home and selling them to customers. Both used Cash App as a means of receiving payments for the drugs and sending proceeds back to their supplier.

"This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, IRS-Criminal Investigations, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges.

Sean Swiftbird was immediately remanded into custody following sentencing. Laurie Swiftbird has been ordered to report to begin her sentence by January 2026.