United States Drug Enforcement Administration

RAPID CITY, S.D., – The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Field Division is taking the agency's Fentanyl Free America message to Rapid City, by participating in the Youth and Family Services’ Kids Fair, April 11-12, at The Monument. In addition, eight digital billboards designed to spark conversation and raise awareness to the dangers of fentanyl are on display on streets around the city.

Members of DEA will host a resource table at the two-day Youth and Family Services’ Kids Fair with drug education and prevention information available for both adults and children. Kids can earn their Junior Special Agent badge by completing a worksheet or answering questions about images that show similarities and differences in the appearance of candy and prescription medications. Adults will find helpful resources on talking with children and teenagers about the consequences of drug experimentation.

Fentanyl Free America is DEA’s commitment to protecting the United States from synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, by disrupting supply chains, reducing availability and saving American lives. In 2025, agents with the DEA Omaha Field Division removed approximately 140,000 deadly doses of fentanyl from communities in South Dakota, enough to kill the entire population of Rapid City. Included in this tally were more than 27,000 counterfeit pills. These pills are made to look like legitimate prescription medications, making them dangerous for adults, while also appealing to small children who mistake the colorful objects for candy.

“Young children don’t always see things the way adults do,” DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “We see a chewable Tums or a Sudafed, kids see what looks like candy.  It’s never too early to talk with your children about knowing what’s safe for consumption and what is in fact medicine. As an adult, it’s equally important that we understand there are people making pills that resemble common prescription medications such as Xanax, Adderall or Oxycodone. The only safe prescription medication a person should take is one prescribed by a trusted doctor and filled by a licensed pharmacist.” 

The billboards in Rapid City emphasize three pillars of the Fentanyl Free America initiative, Protect, Prevent and Support and feature a website for additional information, dea.gov/fentanylfree.