Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to Over 13 Years for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm Possession

Lorenzo Rene Portillo, 37, was sentenced to 13 years and 5 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm as a felon.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 26, 2026, 2:30 p.m. ET

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We last searched for new coverage of this at Aug 26, 2026, 2:38 p.m. ET — checked 2h ago.

A Sioux Falls man was on August 24, 2026, to 13 years and 5 months in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Dakota. The sentencing was announced on August 26, 2026. Lorenzo Rene Portillo, 37, pleaded guilty on May 5, 2026, to charges stemming from his involvement in a conspiracy that distributed more than 500 grams of methamphetamine in Sioux Falls between September 2024 and February 2025. He also obtained methamphetamine from co-conspirators to distribute to others who would then sell it, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Portillo was arrested on February 10, 2025, when law enforcement officers searched a residence where he was staying and found a handgun. He is prohibited from possessing firearms due to multiple felony convictions, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons said in a statement: "Collaborating with all levels of law enforcement, our dedicated federal prosecutors and their teams are working overtime to do everything possible to protect our communities from the deadly combination of career criminals, drugs, and guns. The conviction of this repeat felon and the long prison sentence he will serve represent another step forward toward accomplishing that mission. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you came from; if you are selling illegal drugs in South Dakota, we are coming for you and this is your fate." The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice initiative. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Sioux Falls Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce. Portillo was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

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Sources

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/sioux-falls-man-sentenced-over-13-years-federal-prison-conspiracy-distribute-controlled

Revision history

Version 126 Aug 2026, 18:30current
First published.

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