SIOUX FALLS, SD (Mitchell Now) — A Las Vegas man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that transported methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to South Dakota.
Jeffrey Skannal, 67, was sentenced Aug. 31 by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Skannal will serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
A federal grand jury indicted Skannal in February 2025. He pleaded guilty June 11, 2026.
Federal prosecutors said Skannal was part of a California-based drug trafficking organization for several months in 2024. The organization transported large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to South Dakota and used short-term rental properties as bases for distributing drugs in and around Sioux Falls.
According to prosecutors, Skannal drove rental vehicles containing drugs from California to Sioux Falls, helped package drugs for sale and accompanied other members of the organization during sales to sub-distributors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service and Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted it.
Skannal was ordered to surrender to begin serving his sentence by noon Dec. 1.