Latest news with #KellieWasko
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Prison drug smuggling ring busted, state corrections officials say
A photo taken at 3 a.m. on March 29, 2024, shows interior lights in the South Dakota State Penitentiary's East Hall. The lights stayed on after a night of unrest. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) Following a protest in response to a string of violence and deaths at state prisons and amid continuing talks about potential prison construction, South Dakota officials say they've busted a ring of drug smuggling in prison facilities and imposed a non-contact visit policy. No drug charges have been filed, according to a Thursday news release from the state Department of Corrections, which said an investigation is ongoing involving its Inspector General's Office, the state Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. postmaster general. 'If the results of the investigation warrant prosecution, criminal charges will be sought,' the news release said. 'We will continue to counter every attempt to introduce dangerous contraband into our facilities.' 10 injured in prison violence days after protests over security and inmate treatment The news release said three methods of drug delivery into prisons were identified and stopped: Through the use of counterfeit packages imitating well-known manufacturers with drugs sent in through the packages. Through false use of the privileged mail system, such as counterfeit legal mail. And through the actions of visitors, including family members and friends, bringing drugs into the prison during visitation. The press release went on to say that three inmate deaths — one in February and two this month — were linked to drug overdoses on the penitentiary campus in Sioux Falls. The Department of Corrections has also imposed non-contact visits for family and friends of inmates 'in certain facilities,' the press release said. It also said 'non-contact visits may be expanded to other prison facilities' and 'additional policy changes are also under review.' 'We wanted to ensure that the public is aware of the work that has been done in these cases. We are taking action to keep staff and inmates safe,' said a quote in the news release from Secretary of Corrections Kellie Wasko. The drug investigation is occurring against the backdrop of activism against prison conditions and inmate treatment, including a protest Friday by about 50 people. Meanwhile, the state's Project Prison Reset task force is considering plans to construct new prison facilities. The group's next meeting is Tuesday in Pierre. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Prison drug smuggling ring busted, state corrections officials say
A photo taken at 3 a.m. on March 29, 2024, shows interior lights in the South Dakota State Penitentiary's East Hall. The lights stayed on after a night of unrest. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) Following a protest in response to a string of violence and deaths at state prisons and amid continuing talks about potential prison construction, South Dakota officials say they've busted a ring of drug smuggling in prison facilities and imposed a non-contact visit policy. No drug charges have been filed, according to a Thursday news release from the state Department of Corrections, which said an investigation is ongoing involving its Inspector General's Office, the state Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. postmaster general. 'If the results of the investigation warrant prosecution, criminal charges will be sought,' the news release said. 'We will continue to counter every attempt to introduce dangerous contraband into our facilities.' 10 injured in prison violence days after protests over security and inmate treatment The news release said three methods of drug delivery into prisons were identified and stopped: Through the use of counterfeit packages imitating well-known manufacturers with drugs sent in through the packages. Through false use of the privileged mail system, such as counterfeit legal mail. And through the actions of visitors, including family members and friends, bringing drugs into the prison during visitation. The press release went on to say that three inmate deaths — one in February and two this month — were linked to drug overdoses on the penitentiary campus in Sioux Falls. The Department of Corrections has also imposed non-contact visits for family and friends of inmates 'in certain facilities,' the press release said. It also said 'non-contact visits may be expanded to other prison facilities' and 'additional policy changes are also under review.' 'We wanted to ensure that the public is aware of the work that has been done in these cases. We are taking action to keep staff and inmates safe,' said a quote in the news release from Secretary of Corrections Kellie Wasko. The drug investigation is occurring against the backdrop of activism against prison conditions and inmate treatment, including a protest Friday by about 50 people. Meanwhile, the state's Project Prison Reset task force is considering plans to construct new prison facilities. The group's next meeting is Tuesday in Pierre. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
SD penitentiary on lockdown as HB 1025 moves to JCA
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota State Penitentiary and nearby Jameson Annex are on lockdown. The state Department of Corrections said in a news release that the lockdown at Sioux Falls prison facilities began at 7:30 Tuesday morning. While the DOC hasn't released the reason behind the lockdown, the department says it 'is not in response to a disturbance or assault.' The DOC declined an interview request from KELOLAND News Tuesday. Report: New Noem DHS campaign budgeted for $200 million The DOC's last publicly-announced lockdown at Sioux Falls prison facilities began on Sept.15 and continued until Oct. 2. A Sept. 19 release from the DOC said the lockdown was done as 'a proactive security measure to implement a full campus search and seizure for dangerous contraband.' That initial release said 'handmade weapons' and electronics were discovered. Later in October, the DOC told a government operations and audit committee of the state legislature about contraband found during the Sioux Falls lockdown. Officers allegedly discovered sharp items including tweezers, a homemade tattoo gun and tools. 'If you have three screwdrivers that are etched, and they're bundled together, and they're concealed somewhere, they're contraband,' Secretary of Corrections Kellie Wasko said Oct. 21. 'If they are not in their designated space in the institution where they're inventory, then they are contraband.' The House Committee on Appropriations referred House Bill 1025, which would appropriate money to build a new men's prison in Lincoln County, to the Joint Committee on Appropriations without recommendation on Tuesday in Pierre. The vote saw eight lawmakers vote in favor, while one was excused. HB 1025 is set to appear before the Joint Committee on Appropriations on Thursday. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SD House panel lukewarm on bill to finalize new men's prison funding
South Dakota Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko, right, and Finance Director Brittni Skipper answer questions from lawmakers about a proposed men's prison on Feb. 12, 2025, in Pierre. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) PIERRE — A panel of lawmakers dealt a symbolic blow to the push for a new men's prison Wednesday morning, signaling a possible rough road for what's expected to be the most expensive taxpayer-funded building project in South Dakota history. The House State Affairs Committee didn't say no after a hearing at the state Capitol, but it didn't say yes, either. Gov. Larry Rhoden's office and the state Department of Corrections (DOC) wanted the committee to send a bill permitting them to spend $763 million of construction funding to the state House's budget-setting panel with a 'do pass' recommendation. Last year, lawmakers gave the DOC authority to spend $62 million to prepare the site. The guaranteed maximum price for the facility is $825 million. Lawmakers dumped most of the money for the prison into an interest-bearing fund last year, before the DOC's November announcement of the final price tag. Instead of blessing House Bill 1025 – the bill to top off the prison fund and unlock it for use – committee members voted 12-1 to send it to the House Appropriations Committee with no recommendation at all. Men's prison price comes in at $825 million, sparking questions from lawmakers, public Several members said they want that budget panel to dig into cost to run the facility, and to build out the roadways necessary to transform the corn field selected as its site into a complex for 1,500 inmates and hundreds of staff. Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko said the prison would help the state manage its correctional needs for 100 years. Rep. Karla Lems, R-Canton, said that language underscores the importance of caution. 'For a hundred-year project, we had really better know what we're doing before we rubber-stamp this,' Lems said. Her constituency includes a host of the project's detractors. The selected site is about 14 miles south of Sioux Falls, between Harrisburg and Canton. Many of its Lincoln County neighbors banded together in a lawsuit, hoping to force the state to request a zoning permit from county officials before building on the 360 acres of farm ground. The state was the victor in that case at the circuit court level; the opponents are appealing to the state Supreme Court. The opposition testimony from those neighbors pointed out that the $825 million 'guaranteed maximum price' does not include change orders, post-construction operational costs, or the cost to pave the gravel roads surrounding the property. That's true, according to Wasko and Ryan Brunner, a senior adviser with Gov. Rhoden's office. But they also said estimates for those numbers are either done or in the works. The state has a contingency fund of $24 million for change orders. Change orders that add work could conceivably come, Wasko conceded, but the hope with what she described as a well-conceived site plan is that 'we get it right the first time.' The annual cost to run the 1,500-bed facility would be $21.6 million more each year than it takes to fund the 144-year-old, 800-bed state penitentiary right now, she said. The new prison would replace the Sioux Falls penitentiary, and the fate of that older facility has not been determined. Brunner pointed to an ongoing study by the state Department of Transportation that aims to evaluate traffic flows and options for road construction. The state has yet to produce a cost estimate for the three options outlined on its traffic study website. Bill to change name of Department of Corrections advances He said the department expects to put money aside for the work in 2027, and that it would involve 'state and federal highway funds.' He also urged the committee to think about another number: $40 million. That, he said, is the upper limit of the higher price the state would pay by way of inflation if it waits another year to move forward. Project opponents suggested alternatives: Using the DOC's 68-acre West Farm site near Sioux Falls, expanding its existing Jameson Annex in Sioux Falls or purchasing the shuttered former Citibank building just north of the penitentiary to meet the need for prison beds. There are bills circulating in Pierre meant to stop the DOC from spending any more money on the men's prison, and to force a reevaluation of the project site. Wasko addressed some of the ideas for alternative sites, including a reminder that there are juvenile detainees at the West Farm facility the DOC doesn't have another place for at the moment. There were 28 juveniles at West Farm as of Wednesday, DOC spokesman Michael Winder told South Dakota Searchlight after the hearing. The farm has a 68-bed capacity across two separate programs, known as Falls Academy and Brighter Transition. Brunner urged lawmakers to think about another figure, specifically a dollar amount, when considering alternatives. The state's already spent money on the site in Lincoln County. 'You start moving those around and redesigning, then you're no longer utilizing the $62 million we're already spending on the current site,' Brunner said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Three prison staff members described the current penitentiary as outdated and dangerous. One spoke of the 'deafening' sound drummed up when hundreds of inmates are released for meals because of the building's multi-tiered, linear layout. On the higher tiers, if somebody has to make a call for help from the lower tiers, 'how's anybody going to hear you down there?' said Nick Rodriguez, a 10-year correctional officer. 'Yes, we have radios, but there are times we've had communications issues with those,' he said. Shortly after the House State Affairs vote, Gov. Rhoden's office sent a press release pointing out that the state's law enforcement organizations support the prison project. The statement also addressed security. 'The construction of a new prison is one way that we can improve public safety,' the governor wrote. 'The condition of our current facility is unacceptable.' The new prison would have cell blocks arranged in a circular fashion to allow for easier monitoring of offenders and more orderly movement from one place to the other. 'Clearly we need a new prison,' said Sioux Falls Republican Rep. Greg Jamison, who tried unsuccessfully to convince the committee to recommend passage of HB 1025. 'The location and the money are the issue. But it's been well thought out, and it's been well planned.' But Rep. Marty Overweg, R-New Holland, said it makes more sense to let House appropriators dig into the figures. There's been plenty of talk about the need for a prison in recent years, he said, but 'what we haven't talked a lot about is how we're going to pay to run it,' Overweg said. His move to send it along to the budget panel with a neutral vote was opposed only by Rep. Spencer Gosch, R-Glenham. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
07-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Behind the walls of the SD State Penitentiary: Part II
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Among the stops on a tour Wednesday of the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls was a group shower, a location which the state Department of Corrections highlights as problematic. 'The crumbling of the concrete, the rusting of all of the metal,' state Secretary of Corrections Kellie Wasko said Wednesday. 'The duct work is falling apart and eroding.' But the infrastructure of the shower isn't the only possible concern. 'There's issues for having staff,' Wasko said. 'There's one way in and one way out, if you have 40 offenders underneath the shower heads and 40 offenders on deck, and you have two staff down there with one stairwell to get out.' Wasko says this kind of shower is a relic of the past. 'You won't see those types of showers being reconstructed in modern facilities today,' Wasko said. KELOLAND News had the exclusive opportunity Wednesday to go inside the penitentiary and capture video in just a handful of spots selected by the state DOC. The video, along with what KELOLAND's Dan Santella and Kevin Kjergaard saw when the camera had to be put away, is evidence of the prison's aging condition. 'Every human being in here, the safety is our utmost responsibility,' said Amber Pirraglia, who serves as director of prisons with the DOC and interim warden at the penitentiary. 'So, being able to have the right resources for our staff to be successful, to help coach, guide and mentor inmates to be successful is what we need, and the right physical plant is an absolute necessity in that.' Wasko says the penitentiary was built for 400 inmates but had 784 Wednesday. Pirraglia says this overcrowding has ripple effects. 'It impacts movement,' she said Wednesday. 'It impacts how many people are going through a chow hall. It impacts how many people are in the classrooms and the programming. When you don't have the space to provide enough classes, some people don't get it.' Any prison will best serve the communities surrounding it if its inmates can be rehabilitated and eventually have a chance to positively contribute to society beyond its walls. But Wasko says the South Dakota State Penitentiary falls short in helping its inmates look to the future. 'There's no treatment space,' Wasko said. 'There's some classroom space that's across the yard, but that's reserved for education, GED. But when you don't have the ability to treat in environments, like therapeutic communities, whether it's for substance use disorders or cognitive behavioral therapies, we create an environment that's dark. It's small. It's enclosed. It doesn't promote pro-socialization.' Lawmakers in Pierre are considering more than one bill which deals with corrections while they're in Pierre during the ongoing legislative session. House Bill 1025 would authorize the construction of a new prison in Lincoln County. Another, Senate Bill 124, would set up a task force on incarceration to evaluate prisons, both current and new facilities. Senate Bill 204 seeks to ban the spending of certain money for corrections until that task force on incarceration makes a final recommendation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
