South Dakota law enforcement agencies conducted the state’s ninth set of saturation patrols connected to “Operation: Prairie Thunder” last week (Dec. 17-19, 2025) in Winner and Sturgis.
Over the course of three days in Winner, officers issued 93 warnings and 66 citations. Four felony and 32 misdemeanor drug charges were issued and three misdemeanor warrants were served. A total of 21 individuals received drug related charges. Ten of them are in custody, as are two others on non-drug related charges. None of the people encountered by law enforcement were found to be violating parole or probation requirements and no cash or guns were seized during any of the encounters.
The Operation: Prairie Thunder effort in Sturgis was cut short because Highway Patrol troopers were called to other, unrelated incidents in the area.
When combining stats from Winner and Sturgis, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement– ICE– agents totaled:
- zero individuals contacted
- zero individuals interviewed
- zero individuals taken into custody
- zero human trafficking arrests
- zero human trafficking recoveries
- zero cartel or gang members apprehended
- zero cartel or gang members identified
Operation: Prairie Thunder saturation patrols bring the Highway Patrol and city, county and federal law enforcement partners together, ensuring that agencies from across South Dakota can share resources and support each other’s community-based public safety efforts.
The Highway Patrol is an agency of the South Dakota Department of Public Safety.
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