JANUARY 3, 2024:
A Watertown man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to two counts of Second Degree Kidnapping.
Deven Burgher, 25, was sentenced Wednesday, Jan.3, 2024, in Codington Circuit Court after agreeing to plead guilty to the kidnapping charges, each involving a different victim. He also pled guilty to two counts of being a habitual offender.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says the defendant was sentenced to 25 years in prison on each kidnapping count with 10 years suspended on each count. The two sentences will be served consecutively.
Prosecutors said the kidnappings occurred on Jan. 26, 2023 and May 19, 2023, both in Codington County. The second kidnapping occurred when Burgher was out of jail on bond for the first incident.
“Thank you to the investigators and attorneys who helped bring resolution to this case,” said Jackley. “These two victims were victims of domestic assault, and we thank them for their courage in coming forward.”
The case was investigated by the Watertown Police Department and Codington County Sheriff’s Office.
Prosecution was handled by the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office and the Codington County State’s Attorney’s Office.
JUNE 12, 2023:
Deven Burgher, a 25-year-old male from Watertown, was arrested Saturday at 5:24 pm after the Codington County Sheriff’s Office was called out to rural Codington County for a report of a male that kidnapped a female and assaulted a female while using a weapon in the process.
Burgher was arrested and is currently out on bond for a similar incident that occurred on 1/27/2023, which involved a different female. A status hearing is set for June 21, 2023, and a jury trial is set for June 29, 2023.
Burgher was booked in at the Codington County Detention Center on the following charges:
- Kidnapping 1st Degree
- Aggravated Assault Domestic
- Intentional Damage to Property
- Violation of a Protection Order
- Interference with Emergency Communications
Burgher’s bond is currently set at $20,000 Cash Only. (Story courtesy of news partner KXLG.)
JANUARY 31, 2023:
UPDATE: BURGHER IS IN CUSTODY.
Authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating a Watertown man wanted for kidnapping and assault.
Codington County Sheriff Brad Howell says 24 year-old Deven Taylor Burgher assaulted a woman at a residence in Florence Thursday (Jan. 26, 2023).
Howell says after assaulting her, Burgher forced the woman into his vehicle, leaving the woman’s 18 month-old child unattended at the home. Burgher drove the woman out into the county and forced her out of the vehicle in bitterly cold temperatures and drove away. He returned a short time later to pick her up before returning to the residence.
There’s an active warrant out for Burgher’s arrest. He’s wanted on charges of First Degree Kidnapping, Simple Assault Domestic, False Imprisonment, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor and Harassing Phone Calls.
Anyone with information on Burgher’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Codington County Sheriff’s Office at 605-882-6280.
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