RAPID CITY, S.D. – A Mexican National from California who was arrested in a large meth-bust made a court appearance Wednesday.
Alonso Molina-Corona, 42, pleaded not guilty in federal court.
He was pulled over by a highway patrol trooper for speeding on I-90 at Sturgis during the Motorcycle Rally. The speed limit at the time on I-90 was reduced to 65 due to the rally. During the stop, a police service dog alerted the trooper to the presence of an odor it is trained to detect. A search of the vehicle then yielded 207.24 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, valued at approximately $12 million.
The highway patrol says its largest meth seizure ever.
Molina-Corona could serve a maximum sentence of life in prison if found guilty on the onspiracy to distribute a controlled substance charge.
He is also facing 15 years in prison following the indictment of two separate charges by a Meade County grand jury.
Molina-Corona will be held in federal custody.