South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said a wave of recent arrests involving inmates and several former Department of corrections employees reflects efforts to keep prisons safe.
Charges ranging from possession of a controlled substance to conspiracy to commit arson were leveled against six people, including two former DOC staffers, in late July.
Jackley said these crimes will be prosecuted like any other.
“I’ve taken a position in order to better protect our correction officers, medical staff, and other inmates that whenever there’s dangerous activity going on within the borders of our prisons, we weren’t just going to leave it to administrative action or employee action," Jackley said. "We’re going to take it to the next level.”
The announcement of six arrests made in connection to five different cases came in a single press release. He said the charges were announced together to simplify the jury and press process.
“Oftentimes, when we look to a grand jury, we will need to set it up at a particular period of time," Jackley said. "We will oftentimes utilize the same grand jury more than once for a particular case. Therefor, they were all put together given the proximity of January to May, it made more sense to put them all out at the same time.”
Jackley said his prosecutorial position won’t see major changes, but the DoC is taking steps with lawmakers.
“With respect to the Department of Corrections, that would really be up to them," Jackley said. "I know they’ve been working with the Legislature and testifying regarding some of these matters, but my position as attorney general will not change. If there is a crime committed in the borders of the prison, it will be investigated and prosecuted within the fullest extent of the law.”
This comes just months after significant “disturbances” were reported at the State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls resulting in charges leveled at multiple inmates.
