Five people indicted for transporting contraband to state prison inmates

Sept. 18, 2025:

Five people, including one former state correctional officer and two current inmates, have been indicted (Sept. 17, 2025) for transporting contraband into the South Dakota State Men’s Penitentiary in Sioux Falls.

Attorney General Marty Jackley said it’s the result of a months-long probe that followed overdose deaths of inmates in the men’s prison.

The five people indicted were:

• 22 year old Carson DeYoung, Sioux Falls, former South Dakota Department of Corrections correctional officer;

• 42 year old Max Bolden, current South Dakota Penitentiary inmate;

• 25 year old Simba Oma Maat, current South Dakota Penitentiary inmate;

• 52 year old Nancy Sage, Sioux Falls; and

• 31 year old Chandler Boone, Denver, CO.

All five were indicted on these charges:

• One felony count of Conspiracy to Distribute A Controlled Substance, Methamphetamine. Maximum sentence is 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. For inmates Bolden and Maat, the maximum sentence would be doubled.

• One felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Distribution of a Synthetic Cannabinoids, K2, which is intended to mimic THC, the main psychoactive ingredient of marijuana. The maximum sentence is five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. For inmates Bolden and Maat, the maximum sentence would be doubled.

• One felony count of Conspiracy to Deliver Authorized Article, a Cell Phone, to an Inmate. The maximum sentence is five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. For inmates Bolden and Maat, the maximum sentence would be doubled.

• One misdemeanor count of Conspiracy to Deliver Unauthorized Article, a vape pen, to an Inmate. Maximum is one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. For inmates Bolden and Maat, the maximum sentence would be doubled.

DeYoung– the former correctional officer– was also charged with one felony count of Possession of Unauthorized Article, an anabolic steroid, With Intent to Deliver to an Inmate; and one felony count of Possession of Controlled Substance, an anabolic steroid, with Intent to Distribute. The Possession of an Unauthorized Article carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. The one felony count of Possession with Intent to Distribute carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Sage was also charged with one felony count of possession of a Controlled Substance, Methamphetamine, and one felony count of Possession of a Controlled Substance, Synthetic Cannabinoids. Each charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Jackley said Chandler Boone procured the items. She then mailed them to Nancy Sage in Sioux Falls. Jackley said DeYoung had not yet transported this particular group of contraband items into the penitentiary, but had agreed to do so. He said there’s an ongoing investigation as to what items DeYoung may have transported into the pen.

Inmate Bolden is serving a life sentence for murder. Inmate Maat is serving sentences for First Degree Burglary and Second Degree Burglary. His scheduled release date is 2028.

All five defendants are presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.

South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation investigated and was assisted by the Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, which included detectives from the Sioux Falls Police Department and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute.

June 24, 2025:

Two individuals have been indicted on charges related to drug overdose deaths of two inmates this year in the South Dakota Penitentiary facilities in Sioux Falls.

21 year old inmate Manarion Timothy Douglas Fuse is charged with one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, synthetic cannabinoids, that resulted in the death of inmate Anthony Richards on Feb. 6, 2025; and one count of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, synthetic cannabinoids. Fuse is accused of providing the drug to Richards and faces a maximum of 70 years in prison.

49 year old Melibu Lynn Ross of Sioux Falls is charged with distribution of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, resulting in the death of inmate Jason Garreau on May 15, 2025. Ross is alleged to have brought the drug into the prison when she visited Garreau on May 14. She faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Both defendants were indicted last week by a Minnehaha County Grand Jury.

The cases were investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation and the South Dakota Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General. The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute the cases.

The defendants are presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.

Attorney General Marty Jackley says the investigation continues into the suspected drug overdose deaths of two other inmates that also occurred this year.

June 4, 2025:

State prison employees are getting the credit for stopping an attempt to bring contraband into one of the South Dakota State Men’s Penitentiary facilities in Sioux Falls.

Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko says staff noticed unusual behavior during what would have been a routine supply delivery to the Penitentiary last week (May 29, 2025). She said staff’s attention to detail prevented contraband from being delivered to inmates, which, in turn, could have led to security and safety issues for offenders or for their fellow employees.

Wasko says staff diligently carried out the lessons and processes learned during a recent training, which prevented the contraband from being delivered. She says because this is an ongoing investigation involving the DOC Inspector General’s Office and the Attorney General’s Division of Criminal Investigation, no other information can be released at this time.

Last week, the DOC released information saying they had busted a drug smuggling ring connected to three overdose deaths at South Dakota State Penitentiary facilities in Sioux Falls this year. One death happened in February and two more happened in May. Two of the offender overdoses happened at the Jameson Annex, and one happened at the State Penitentiary.

Anyone who delivers or attempts to deliver unauthorized prescription or nonprescription drugs to an inmate is guilty of a Class 4 felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $20,000 fine or both.

Because of the introduction of drugs into the prison facilities, Wasko said the DOC implemented non-contact visits for offenders in certain facilities and additional policy changes are under review. She said depending on the results of the ongoing investigation, the non-contact visit policy could be expanded to other state prison facilities. The non-contact visits rule is still in effect for those in the Jameson Annex.

May 29, 2025:

The state Department of Corrections has busted a drug smuggling ring connected to three overdose deaths at South Dakota State Penitentiary facilities in Sioux Falls this year (2025).

Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko said one death happened in February and two more happened in May. Two of the offender overdoses happened at the Jameson Annex, and one happened at the State Penitentiary.

Wasko said an internal investigation “identified and stopped methods used to introduce dangerous contraband that had a direct effect on the overdose deaths.” She said the DOC will not tolerate the introduction of drugs that have the potential to harm offenders or prison staff.

Because of the introduction of drugs into the prison facilities, Wasko said the DOC implemented non-contact visits for offenders in certain facilities and additional policy changes are under review. She said depending on the results of the ongoing investigation, the non-contact visit policy could be expanded to other state prison facilities.

The DOC Inspector General’s Office, the state Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postmaster General are cooperating on the investigation. Wasko said if the results warrant prosecution, criminal charges will be filed. Anyone who delivers or attempts to deliver unauthorized prescription or nonprescription drugs to an inmate is guilty of a Class 4 felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a $20,000 fine or both.

The methods of drug delivery into the state prison facilities that were identified and stopped were:

• Through the use of counterfeit packages imitating well-known manufacturers with large amounts of drugs sent in through these packages; and
• 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, which contributed to one of the deaths.

Wasko said they are stopping the flow of drugs into the prison facilities and 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.”

Aug. 1, 2024:

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announces that a Minnehaha County Grand Jury Monday (July 29, 2024) indicted six people regarding five different cases involving South Dakota Prison inmates and two others who were Department of Corrections staff members at that time.

“Assaults on prison staff, possession of weapons and contraband, and destruction of property in our prison will not be tolerated,” said Attorney General Jackley. “This conduct endangered prison staff and inmates and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Those are charged are:

Case One

• Prison Inmate Tyler Dane Larvie, 28, nine felony counts of Possession of an Article Indulgence (synthetic cannabinoids). The charges occurred on or about Jan. 24, 2024.

Case Two

• Inmate Tyler Dane Larvie, 28, one felony count of Criminal Solicitation, one felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Second Degree Arson, and one felony count of Aiding and Abetting Second Degree Arson.
• Former DOC Medication Aide Madyson Alexis Bixby, 21, Sioux Falls, one felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Second Degree Arson and one felony count of Possession of an Unauthorized Article (a cellphone delivered to an inmate).
• Merced Patlan, 30, Sioux Falls, (not a DOC staff member) one felony count of Second Degree Arson and one felony count of Conspiracy to Commit Second Degree Arson.

Larvie and Bixby are charged with conspiring with Patlan to destroy another person’s vehicle. The crimes occurred between Dec. 1, 2023 and Jan. 4, 2024. The actual arson occurred on Jan. 4, 2024 in Sioux Falls.

Case Three

• Former DOC nurse Alexis Rose Hiller, 27, Sioux Falls, charged with one felony count of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Buprenorphine) with Intent to Distribute, one felony count of Possession of a Controlled Substance (Buprenorphine), and one felony count of Possession of Unauthorized Article (Buprenorphine) With Intent to Deliver to An Inmate. The charges occurred on or near Jan. 31, 2024.

Case Four

• Prison Inmate Seth Thomas Peplinski, 24, charged with one felony count of Aggravated Assault, and one felony count of Simple Assault. He is accused of assaulting another person in the prison on May 6, 2024.

Case Five

• Prison Inmate Kelly Michael Irby, 64, Possession of a Weapon by an Inmate (blade). The charges occurred on or about May 8, 2024.

Initial court appearances for those charged have not yet been scheduled. All of the defendants are presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution.