| 12 28, 2022 | The Office of the Attorney General today released the Crime in South Dakota 2021 report. This report is compiled annually by the Attorney General’s Criminal Statistical Analysis Center (SAC). Despite technical and staffing issues that affected the 2021 reporting, this publication is designed to reflect the actual arrest and reporting information by South Dakota law enforcement.
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| 12 21, 2022 | The South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation is conducting an investigation of an officer involved shooting that occurred on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022 at approximately 1:30 p.m. CST at the intersection of Russell Street and Minnesota Avenue in Sioux Falls.
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| 12 20, 2022 | Attorney General-elect Marty Jackley has announced the eight-member leadership team that will join him when he takes office next month.
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| 12 09, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo has announced that Ashley Peltier was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for the June 8, 2021, stabbing death of her boyfriend, Stanley Kennard III, a.k.a., James Rice.
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| 11 30, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo announced he has filled two new positions at the Attorney General’s Office: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator and Human Trafficking Coordinator.
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| 11 28, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo will announce he has filled two new positions at the Attorney General’s Office: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Coordinator and Human Trafficking Coordinator. Both of the new
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| 11 22, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo has announced that 39 students completed the Basic Law Enforcement Certification Course at the George S. Mickelson Criminal Justice Center in Pierre, S.D.
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| 11 15, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo today announced that South Dakota, along with 39 other states, has reached a $391.5 million multistate settlement with Google over its location tracking practices relating to Google Account settings. This is the largest multistate Attorney General privacy settlement in the history of the U.S.
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| 11 09, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo has released the following Attorney General’s ballot explanation for a proposed Initiated Measure entitled: An Initiated Measure Prohibiting Taxes on Anything Sold for Eating or Drinking.
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| 11 09, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo has released the following Attorney General’s ballot explanation for a proposed Constitutional Amendment entitled: An Initiated Amendment Prohibiting Taxes on Anything Sold for Eating or Drinking.
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| 11 08, 2022 | Elias Richard was sentenced Monday to life in the South Dakota State Penitentiary for killing Vernall Marshall on Christmas Eve in 2020. Richard, 23, was convicted of Second Degree Murder by a Pennington County jury in July following a four-day trial.
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| 11 07, 2022 | The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld the murder conviction of Tristan Larson for causing the death of his then-girlfriend’s two-year-old son.
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| 11 04, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Friday released a summary of the non-fatal September 9, 2022, Sioux Falls Police Department officer involved shooting.
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| 11 03, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo today joined the Division of Criminal Investigation and the South Dakota Department of Public Safety’s Division of Highway Patrol in hailing the re-opening of the state’s Emergency Vehicle Operation Course (EVOC) in Pierre, S.D.
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| 10 28, 2022 | Division of Criminal Investigation agents, Yankton Police Department officers and deputies form the Yankton County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a Gayville, S.D., residence on Wednesday, Oct. 26, that resulted in the seizure of 22 pounds of marijuana, 751 grams of concentrated marijuana wax, 95 Nerds Rope Marijuana edible packages, Suboxone, a Ruger SR-556 rifle, a Glock 48 9mm pistol and $6,250 in cash.
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| 10 24, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo has released an Attorney General’s ballot draft explanation for a draft Constitutional Amendment entitled: An Initiated Constitutional Amendment Prohibiting Taxes on Anything Sold for Eating or Drinking.
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| 10 24, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo has released an Attorney General’s ballot draft explanation for a draft Initiated Measure entitled: An Initiated Measure Prohibiting Taxes on Anything Sold for Eating or Drinking.
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| 10 18, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo today joined a bipartisan coalition of 35 attorneys general from across the country in an amicus brief to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals supporting Oklahoma’s laws that regulate pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
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| 10 07, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Friday released a summary of the July 26, 2022, Rapid City Police Department officer involved shooting. The report found that Marvin Moran Jr. had discharged a firearm in the direction of a police officer before two officers fired and that the officers were justified in using lethal force.
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| 09 30, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo announced today that Kenden Ronald Rivenes was sentenced on Friday to the South Dakota State Penitentiary after he pleaded guilty in cases involving Sully County rape and attempted rape charges.
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| 09 29, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo today applauded the news that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is making $15 million available to state attorneys general to increase collaboration with USDA on antitrust enforcement.
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| 09 21, 2022 | South Dakota’s top law enforcement officials welcomed Rapid City’s Wambli Ska Society to Pierre on Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022, for song and ceremonies to help launch the Attorney General’s new position for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons.
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| 09 20, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo and Davison County State’s Attorney James Miskimins announce that all three defendants who faced charges in cases surrounding the shooting death of Adalberto Ferrer-Machado in Mitchell, S.D., have been sentenced to the state penitentiary.
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| 09 15, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Thursday released the summary of the July 14, 2022, Highway Patrol Trooper involved shooting that occurred in Madison, S.D.
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| 09 12, 2022 | On Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, at around 5:30 A.M., Belle Fourche Fire Services were dispatched to a residence at 19145 Canyon Lane in Butte County for a structure fire.
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| 09 09, 2022 | The South Dakota Government Accountability Board has informed the Office of the Attorney General that it has voted to refer Complaint No. 2021-04 involving South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem to the Attorney General’s office for investigation by the Division of Criminal Investigation.
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| 09 08, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Thursday released the summary of the July 11, 2022, officer involved shooting that occurred in Sioux Falls, S.D., 309 North Cleveland Avenue by two Sioux Falls Police Department (SFPD) Officers.
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| 09 07, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo announced today a $438.5 million agreement in principle between JUUL Labs and 34 states and territories resolving a two-year bipartisan investigation into the e-cigarette manufacturer’s marketing and sales practices.
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| 09 02, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Friday released the summary of the June 22, 2022, officer involved shooting that occurred in Sioux Falls, S.D. near 4208 West 41st Street by a Sioux Falls Police Department (SFPD) Detective.
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| 08 31, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo announced today that South Dakota has joined 34 other states in settling allegations of kickbacks paid to referring providers against Essilor International, Essilor of America Inc., Essilor Laboratories of America Inc., and Essilor Instruments USA (Essilor), headquartered in Dallas.
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| 08 30, 2022 | DCI Forensic Examiner Hollie Strand has earned the Freedom Fighter Award for her work combatting human trafficking by the advocacy group Freedom’s Journey.
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| 08 26, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Friday released the summary of the August 9, 2022, officer involved shooting of Jacob Michael James of Sioux Falls, 21, by a Sioux Falls Police Department (SFPD) Detective and a Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Investigator after he (James) pointed a firearm and shot at the MCSO Investigator multiple times. The report found that the officers involved in the shooting were justified in< Read More |
| 08 25, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo has released the following Attorney General’s explanation for the November 2024 general election.
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| 08 19, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Friday released the summary of the officer involved shooting of Glenn Nisich of Sioux Falls, 57, by a Sioux Falls Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team member on July 3, 2022 in Sioux Falls.
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| 08 17, 2022 | Attorney General Mark Vargo and Jerauld County States Attorney Dedrich Koch announce that Mitch LeRoy Caffee, Wessington Springs, 39, pled guilty to one count of first degree manslaughter, a Class C felony, and one count of Aggravated Assault, a Class 3 Felony and was sentenced today to life in the state penitentiary on the first degree manslaughter conviction and 15 years in the state penitentiary on the aggravated assault conviction, with the sentence to run concurrent.
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| 08 05, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo has released the following Attorney General’s ballot draft explanation for the November 2024 general election.
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| 07 29, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and the Division of Criminal Investigation Friday released the summary of the officer involved shooting of Shania Watkins, 32, of Rapid City by a Rapid City Police Department (RCPD) officer on May 31, 2022 in Rapid City.
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| 07 28, 2022 | An updated South Dakota Missing Persons Clearinghouse website is now operational according to the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office.
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| 07 25, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and Lake County State’s Attorney Wendy Kloeppner say the two suspects arrested July 14 in connection with a high-speed pursuit and officer involved shooting have now been indicted on four different counts, including two counts each of attempted first-degree murder.
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| 07 19, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo has named Chad Mosteller as the interim Director of the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) effective immediately.
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| 07 15, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo and Lake County State’s Attorney Wendy Kloeppner say two men have been charged today (Friday) in connection with the high-speed pursuit and officer involved shooting that took place Thursday in Lake, Minnehaha and Moody Counties.
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| 06 29, 2022 | On his first day in office, South Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo encouraged his new staff Wednesday to keep doing what they are doing for the people of South Dakota.
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| 06 16, 2022 | The Office of the South Dakota Attorney General announced today that South Dakota has joined with 49 other states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the federal government to settle allegations of fraud against Mallinckrodt ARD, LLC
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| 06 15, 2022 | The Office of the Attorney General is recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and asks all citizens to take a moment to learn about the resources available to combat this growing problem.
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| 06 14, 2022 | The Office of the Attorney General, along with 20 Attorneys General, is calling on President Joe Biden to withdraw the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) new guidance on sex discrimination for schools and programs that receive federal nutritional assistance.
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| 05 20, 2022 | The Office of the Attorney General and the Division of Criminal Investigation today released the summary into the officer involved shooting involving Cody Wade Kelly, 41, Sioux Falls, SD, on March 31, 2022, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
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| 05 20, 2022 | The Office of the South Dakota Chief Attorney General, the Consumer Protection Division, and South Dakota Department of Revenue Secretary Michael Houdyshell are warning consumers to be aware of fraudulent websites that have been established to mimic active South Dakota Dealerships.
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| 05 19, 2022 | The office of the South Dakota Attorney General announced today that a Complaint and Information charging Aggregated Second Degree Petty Theft, has been filed against former Rapid City police officer Matthew R. Hower, 41 of Rapid City.
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| 05 16, 2022 | The Office of the South Dakota Attorney General through its Consumer Protection Division is urging residents to be vigilant of transient contractor scams following the severe weather the state has encountered.
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| 05 04, 2022 | The Office of the Attorney General and the Division of Criminal Investigation today released the summary into the shooting of Barney Leroy Peoples, Jr., 51, Rapid City, SD, on March 26, 2022, in Rapid City, South Dakota.
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| 05 03, 2022 | The Office of the Attorney General and the Division of Criminal Investigation today released the summary into the shooting of Ryan John Waldner, 41, Spencer, SD, on March 19, 2022, in rural Hanson County, South Dakota.
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| 02 25, 2022 | Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg announced today the final approval of the $26 billion opioid agreement with the nation’s three major pharmaceutical distributors – Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen – and Johnson & Johnson.
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| 02 22, 2022 | The office of the South Dakota Attorney General is currently accepting applications for the Heroes Wellness Grant.
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| 02 16, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg announced today that in cooperation with St. Joseph’s Indian School and Native Hope, Inc., a grant has been made to aid in the funding of the Office of Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons.
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| 01 19, 2022 | Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg announced today the recommendation of Sheriff Kurt Hall of Faulkton, S.D. to the Board of Pardons and Paroles.
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| 01 13, 2022 | South Dakota Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg announced today that the United States Supreme Court has sustained the application for stays in the case of National Federation of Independent Business, et al v. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, et al, a case South Dakota brought as part of an 11 state coalition in early November of 2021.
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