MITCHELL, SD (Mitchell Now) — A Fresno, California man has been sentenced to four years and two months in federal prison for trying to distribute methamphetamine throughout the region.

Alonso Molina-Corona was pulled over on Interstate 90 in August 2025 on his way to the Sturgis motorcycle rally. A search of his car by a South Dakota Highway Patrol trooper uncovered roughly 200 pounds of methamphetamine inside.

Molina-Corona pleaded guilty on March 9th, after being accused of transporting the drugs from the west coast, with the intent to distribute them across the Midwest. Molina-Courier was determined to be a courier for illegal cartels. Sometimes called a mule, a courier’s job is to bring drugs across state lines and hook up with local dealers, who will sell the illegal narcotics to the final consumers.

Molina-Corina will be under five years of supervised release when his prison sentence has finished. He is also required to pay a $100 fine.

United States Attorney Ron Parsons says the arrest and conviction is part of Operation Take Back America, which empowers federal marshals and the Department of Justic to crack down on drug cartels and violent crime.

Molina-Corina was sentenced on Monday, June 22nd.