FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2025

Contact: Tony Mangan, Communications Director, 605-773-6878 

PIERRE, S.D. – South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a former state prison employee has been sentenced to 90 days in prison after earlier pleading guilty to one count of a Prohibited Sexual Act Between a Prison Employee and Prisoner.

Cassandra Jelsma, 36, was sentenced Tuesday in Bon Homme County Circuit Court. She also received a sentence of two years in prison, which was suspended.

“This behavior is unacceptable and reflects poorly on the vast majority of good employees who work in our correctional facilities,” said Attorney General Jackley.

The incident happened between Nov. 1, 2022, and June 22, 2023, with an inmate at the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield. The defendant was a prison employee at the time.

South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the South Dakota Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. The South Dakota Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case.

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