On January 7, 2025, 63-year-old James Barrett Kaska was sentenced to 50 years in prison with 20 years suspended, resulting in a total of 30 years to be served in the South Dakota State Penitentiary. Kaska received credit for 514 days already served. The prosecutor dismissed the charges of aggravated incest and additional counts of first-degree rape.
Kaska, a convicted sex offender, had pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree rape on July 17, 2024. The plea agreement, presented in the Circuit Court of Codington County, SD, included a mandatory minimum sentence of fifteen years. Kaska agreed to pay all fines, court costs, and other prosecution-related expenses, and to undergo a psychosexual assessment and comply with its recommendations as part of his sentence.
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley commented on the case, stating, “This was a horrific crime involving a young child, and this defendant has, and should be, held accountable. Thank you to law enforcement and prosecutors for their work on this case.”
The Watertown Police Department investigated the case with the assistance of the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), and the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office prosecuted it.
Story courtesy of news partner KXLG.
Comments