Press Releases

SENTENCE HANDED DOWN FOR DRUG RELATED DEATH

LONGTIME PROSECUTOR HONORED FOR ADVOCATING CHILDREN�S WELFARE�

TWO SENTENCED TO PENITENTIARY FOR TERRORIZING VICTIMS WITH GUN AND GASOLINE TO COLLECT ON DRUG DEBT

leticia maye knight found guilty of robbery in the first degree & aggravated assault

MICHAEL LYBARGER RECEIVES SUSPENDED PENITENTIARy SENTENCES

LANCE MICHAEL SMITH SENTENCED FOR CHILL ZONE ROBBERY

SENTENCE HANDED DOWN FOR DRUG RELATED DEATH

Published 06/02/2010

Sheena Germaine St. John (DOB 8-8-84) of Minneapolis, Minnesota was sentenced to 10 years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary with 4 of those years suspended (6 to serve)� today by Circuit Judge Robin Houwman.� St. John had previously entered a plea to Distribution of a Controlled Drug on March 10, 2010.� St. John was arrested following an investigation into the death of Jesse Demarrias (DOB 1-28-82) from an apparent drug overdose at a party that occurred at 815 S. Lyons Ave. #6 in Sioux Falls, SD back on October 14, 2009.� An autopsy revealed that Demarrias had died from Probable Idiosyncratic Methadone Induced Cardiac Arrhythmia.� St. John had a prescription for Methadone (a Schedule II Controlled Drug) and admitted to sharing the drug with Demarrias at his request on two different occasions while at the party.

LONGTIME PROSECUTOR HONORED FOR ADVOCATING CHILDREN�S WELFARE�

Published 05/19/2010

Source: John Hult (Argus Leader)

To read the full article, please click here to go to the Argus Leader website.

TWO SENTENCED TO PENITENTIARY FOR TERRORIZING VICTIMS WITH GUN AND GASOLINE TO COLLECT ON DRUG DEBT

Published 05/19/2010

Judge Peter Lieberman sentenced two men to the South Dakota State Penitentiary today for a crime spree of terror and intimidation that occurred between August 16-19, 2009.� The two defendants purchased a 40 caliber pistol with a laser scope on August 16th and began harassing at least four different victims ages 15-21 in an attempt to collect on a drug debt.� The gun was pointed at several victims and one victim had gasoline poured on him in order to try to collect the missing money and marijuana.� Amanuel Atsemet (DOB 5-10-88) and Aklilu Kidane (DOB 1-1-88) had previously pled guilty to Aggravated Assault and Grand Theft on February 24, 2010 relative to these charges.� Today, Judge Lieberman sentenced Kidane to 15 years in the penitentiary for Aggravated Assault and suspended another 10 years on the Grand Theft charge on the condition he have no violent or threatening offenses, and have no contact with any of the victims for five years after his release.� Atsemet was sentenced to 15 year with 7 years suspended on the Aggravated Assault charge and 10 years suspended time on the Grand Theft charge with the same terms and conditions as Kidane.

leticia maye knight found guilty of robbery in the first degree & aggravated assault

Published 12/18/2009

Sioux Falls, South Dakota � On December 18, 2009, a Minnehaha County Jury found Leticia Maye Knight (dob 02/25/80) guilty of Robbery in the First Degree and Aggravated Assault.� On March 27, 2009, at approximately 8:30 p.m., the Casey's General Store located at 500 N. Kiwanis Avenue in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, South Dakota, was robbed at gun point by a female matching Ms. Knight's description.� The suspect fled with $255.00 in her possession.� Screen captures taken from the store's video surveillance system were provided to local media outlets by the Sioux Falls Police Department on March 30, 2009.� Almost immediately, the Police Department received phone calls from citizens who identified Ms. Knight as the perpetrator of the crime.� Ms. Knight was arrested for the offense on March 31, 2009, after she was immediately identified by the convenience store clerk who was the victim of the crimes.� A sentencing date is yet to be determined.

MICHAEL LYBARGER RECEIVES SUSPENDED PENITENTIARY SENTENCES

Published 8/18/2009

Sioux Falls, South Dakota � On April 28, 2009, Michael Lars Lybarger (dob 03/30/56) of Sioux Falls was found guilty of 2nd Degree Burglary after a jury trial.� The charge stemmed from an August 28, 2008, incident wherein Mr. Lybarger kicked in the back door of a residence in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, South Dakota with the intent to commit a theft.� The homeowner was present at the time and Mr. Lybarger fled the scene.� On June 4, 2009, Michael Lybarger entered a plea of guilty to an offense of Driving Under the Influence (Third Offense) from a February 5, 2009, incident.� The two aforementioned felonies were Mr. Lybarger�s 12th and 13th lifetime felonies.� Mr. Lybarger was facing up to 25 years in the South Dakota State Penitentiary for the offenses.

The Honorable Bradley Zell sentenced Mr. Lybarger on August 18, 2009.� Mr. Lybarger did not receive an actual penitentiary sentence, but received a twenty-five year suspended penitentiary sentence on the 2nd Degree Burglary conviction.� Mr. Lybarger received credit for the 132 days he has already served in jail and was ordered to attend and successfully complete the Teen Challenge Program in Brookings, South Dakota, which generally takes about 16 months to complete. Mr. Lybarger was placed on supervised probation for ten years.� Mr. Lybarger received a two year suspended penitentiary sentence for the Third Offense DUI and was also placed on supervised probation for ten years on that offense.

LANCE MICHAEL SMITH SENTENCED FOR CHIlL ZONE ROBBERY

Published 8/7/2009

Sioux Falls, South Dakota � On August 7, 2009, Circuit Court Judge Joseph Neiles sentenced Lance Michael Smith, age 25, of Omaha, Nebraska, to 25 years in the Penitentiary for the First Degree Robbery at the Chill Zone Restaurant in Hartford, SD on June 9, 2098.

Smith had robbed the waitress and two customers of money, cell phones and a car at gun point.� Smith had made the three female victims stay in a walk in cooler before he made his getaway.� Law enforcement officers from both the Minnehaha and McCook County Sheriffs� Departments contributed to the investigation and apprehension of Smith.

Smith is also wanted by Omaha law enforcement authorities for a June 6, 2008, armed robbery there.