United States v. Brandstrom
The federal criminal case against Ryan Brandstrom in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota, St. Paul: charges, court rulings, timeline and trial information.
| Case name | United States of America v. Ryan Brandstrom |
|---|---|
| Case number | 0:24-cr-00234-JWB-DLM (Criminal No. 24-234) |
| Court | U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota |
| Trial judge | Hon. Jerry W. Blackwell, U.S. District Judge |
| Magistrate judge | Hon. Douglas L. Micko |
| Prosecutors | Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Matthew A. Stone |
| Defense | Ryan Brandstrom, pro se (self-represented), with court-appointed standby counsel |
| Trial | Friday, October 23, 2026, 9:30 a.m., Courtroom 7A, Warren E. Burger Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse, 316 N. Robert St., St. Paul, MN 55101. Expected to last about six days. |
What the federal government alleges
In its proposed introduction to the case filed September 2, 2026, the government says Ryan Brandstrom is charged with conspiracy to distribute amphetamine, distribution of amphetamine, possession with intent to distribute amphetamine, and money laundering. It alleges that from 2017 to 2023 he sold amphetamine to customers around the country through online channels, shipped it through the U.S. mail, was paid in Bitcoin, and converted that Bitcoin into dollars in his own accounts. It says a December 2023 search of his home led to the seizure of amphetamine and his phone.
These are the government’s allegations, not findings. Ryan Brandstrom is presumed innocent unless and until a jury unanimously finds him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
What Ryan says
- This is medicine, not narcotics. Amphetamine is the active ingredient in Adderall, one of the most commonly prescribed medications in America. Federal law does not classify it as a narcotic, yet the government seeks punishment on the scale of hard street drugs.
- The shortage was real, and the government knew it. The FDA declared a nationwide Adderall shortage in October 2022. Patients like Ryan held valid prescriptions that no pharmacy could fill. Read more.
- No one was harmed. This case involves no overdoses, no fentanyl, no opioids and no violence.
- Beware “prosecutor math.” Big dollar figures make headlines. Ryan disputes the government’s characterization of the money, much of which it has already seized.
- A family paid the price. An armed raid with five children in the house, a lost job and seized bank accounts — before any trial.
Where the case stands
Ryan has filed pretrial motions on his own behalf, including a motion to suppress evidence from the search of his home, a motion for independent laboratory testing of the substances, a motion challenging how federal sentencing guidelines treat amphetamine sulfate, and a motion to dismiss for outrageous government conduct. In a January 9, 2026 report, Magistrate Judge Micko recommended denying the suppression and dismissal motions and denied the others.
On September 2, 2026, the government filed motions asking the judge to keep the jury from hearing about the Adderall shortage, about the possible punishment Ryan faces, and about arguments it calls “jury nullification,” and to limit how standby counsel can help him at trial. Judge Blackwell will address pretrial issues at a conference on September 30, 2026.
Timeline
- The FDA announces a nationwide shortage of Adderall (amphetamine mixed salts).
- Federal agents execute a search warrant at the Brandstrom family home.
- Federal criminal case filed in the District of Minnesota.
- First court appearance in Minneapolis.
- Ryan chooses to represent himself and files pretrial motions pro se.
- Magistrate judge issues report and recommendation on pretrial motions.
- Trial moved from April 24 to October 2026 at Ryan’s request, to allow time to prepare.
- Trial briefs, exhibit and witness lists, and motions in limine due.
- Pretrial conference, 10:00 a.m., Courtroom 7A, St. Paul.
- Jury trial begins, 9:30 a.m., Courtroom 7A, St. Paul.
Attending the trial
Federal criminal trials are open to the public. Anyone may watch from the gallery in Courtroom 7A of the federal courthouse at 316 North Robert Street in St. Paul. Bring a photo ID and expect airport-style security screening; phones and recording devices may be restricted inside the courthouse. Please be respectful in the courtroom and do not approach or speak with jurors.
Court records
Public filings in United States v. Brandstrom, No. 24-cr-234, are available through the federal courts’ PACER system and the public terminals at the clerk’s office in St. Paul.