Fresno, California Man Sentenced to Over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Conspiracy Charge

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Fresno, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 22, 2026.

Alonso Molina-Corona, 43, was sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Molina-Corona was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 9, 2026.

The charges stem from a vehicle stop made by a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper of a vehicle driven by Molina-Corona on I-90 in August 2025. Inside the defendant's vehicle, officers discovered over 92 kilos (approximately 200 lbs.) of methamphetamine. The defendant was found to have been transporting the drugs from the west coast for distribution in the Midwest as part of a conspiracy of which he was part. Ultimately, law enforcement authorities deemed Molina-Corona a courier of the drugs.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the South Dakota Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.

Molina-Corona was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.