Six Men Sentenced for Meth and Money Laundering Conspiracy

Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that six Defendants convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Launder Monetary Instruments, have been sentenced to federal prison terms by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier.

Matthew Thomas Houff, age 25, from Los Angeles, California, was sentenced on June 3, 2021, to 360 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.

Dominic Shawn Walberg, age 20, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced on June 3, 2021, to 120 months 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.

Sameer Eugene Gentry, age 34, from Pasadena, California, was sentenced on May 17, 2021, to 330 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.

Cody Lee Jackson-Duimstra, age 25, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced on October 19, 2020, to 180 months of federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Mycah Jayden Burns, age 31, from Crooks, South Dakota, was sentenced on September 14, 2020, to 168 months 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.

Zachary Alanjon Trippler, age 27, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was sentenced on August 26, 2020, to 120 months 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.

Trippler, Houff, and Burns were indicted on December 17, 2019; Jackson-Duimstra was indicted on January 7, 2020; Gentry was indicted on March 10, 2020; and Walberg was indicated on August 17, 2020.

Trippler pled guilty on June 3, 2020; Houff pled guilty on March 22, 2021; Burns pled guilty on August 17, 2020; Jackson-Duimstra pled guilty on July 20, 2020; Gentry pled guilty on February 24, 2021; and Walberg pled guilty on March 1, 2021.

The conviction stemmed from incidents beginning at an unknown date and continuing until on or about October 6, 2020, in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere, when Defendants knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, with others known and unknown, to knowingly and intentionally distribute a mixture and substance containing 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, which is a Scheduled II controlled substance.

Houff and Gentry wired funds derived from the sale of methamphetamine by utilizing various phone applications.  They wired the money for the purpose of concealing the fact that the money they were sending was acquired from the sale of the methamphetamine on behalf of the conspiracy. 

“Now that Mr. Gentry, Mr. Houff and the other defendants are being held accountable for their involvement in the methamphetamine distribution and money laundering conspiracy, the public is safer,” said Amanda Prestegard, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation division in the St. Louis Field Office. “IRS CI, along with our law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are committed to dismantling and disrupting drug and money laundering organizations.”

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Internal Revenue Service.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer D. Mammenga prosecuted the case.

All Defendants were turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service following their sentencings.