RAPID CITY, S.D. — A Dallas man accused of helping supply large amounts of cocaine to Rapid City has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison, closing out a multi-defendant drug trafficking case.
Thirty-eight-year-old Gerardo Escobar Balderas was sentenced August 14 to concurrent prison terms of 10 years and one month after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and money laundering. He will also serve four years of supervised release following his prison term.
Federal prosecutors say Escobar Balderas played a central role in a cocaine trafficking operation that moved drugs from Texas to western South Dakota. Investigators determined he mailed cocaine to an associate in Rapid City, where it was redistributed by other members of the conspiracy. Authorities estimate he was responsible for supplying approximately 12 kilograms of cocaine during the operation.
According to court records, proceeds from drug sales were sent back to Escobar Balderas through electronic money transfers. The case began with a federal indictment in April 2025, and he entered guilty pleas earlier this year.
His sentencing marks the final chapter in a broader federal prosecution involving eight defendants. The investigation was conducted by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.
Escobar Balderas has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.
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