Apr. 14—MITCHELL — The following cases were among those heard Tuesday, April 8, during a circuit court session at the Davison County Public Safety Center, with Judge Chris Giles presiding:
* Lolita Erickson, 23, of Mitchell, admitted to violating her probation. Erickson had been serving probation for a Class 5 felony charge of possession of methamphetamine. She violated the terms of her probation by being terminated from the James Valley Drug and DUI Court. As a result, Erickson was sentenced to five years in prison, with one year suspended, and was credited for 107 days already served.
* Tanner Frank, 29, of Mount Vernon, pleaded guilty to second-offense driving under the influence (DUI), a Class 2 misdemeanor. In exchange for his plea, two Class 2 misdemeanor charges for exhibition driving and possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed. Frank was granted a suspended imposition of sentence and fined $500. The court also sentenced him to 90 days in jail, with 80 days suspended. As part of the conditions for the suspended imposition, Frank must participate in the 24/7 program for six months.
* Elliott Ray Star Iron Shell, 35, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to a fifth or greater simple assault charge, a Class 4 felony. The charge also serves as a probation violation, as he was sentenced to probation in February for a third or subsequent simple assault charge. This marks Star Iron Shell’s fifth assault in 10 years. A jury trial is scheduled for August.
* Aaron Unzelman, 38, of Sioux Falls, appeared in court on multiple drug-related charges, including driving without a license and possession of drug paraphernalia, both Class 2 misdemeanors. He is also charged with possession of methamphetamine and cocaine, unauthorized ingestion of meth, all Class 5 felonies, and distribution of meth, a Class 3 felony. The case was continued for two weeks to allow Unzelman time to secure a new court-appointed attorney.
* Markita Rath, 34, of Pierre, admitted to violating a 24-hour bond condition. Rath was released from custody but is required to continue testing twice a week. This marks her third bond violation.
* Rocky Straw, 52, of Colome, pleaded guilty to third-offense DUI, a Class 6 felony. As part of a plea agreement, two Class 2 misdemeanor charges for having an open container and driving without a license were dismissed. Straw was sentenced to two years in prison, with all time suspended, and fined $600. His license was revoked for one year, and he was ordered to serve 14 days in jail. If a bed at a treatment facility becomes available before then, he will be granted a furlough.
* Jamie Shay, 39, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia and driving with a cancelled license, both Class 2 misdemeanors, as well as possession of meth, a Class 5 felony. A jury trial is scheduled for August.
* Roger Hall, 63, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to multiple drug-related charges, including possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor; possession of meth, a Class 5 felony; and distribution of meth, a Class 4 felony. Hall requested a personal recognizance bond, which the court denied. Instead, bond was set at $3,000. A jury trial is scheduled for August.
* Jacob Terrill, 34, of Ethan, denied violating his probation. He was arrested earlier this month for possession of meth and traffic violations while serving probation for a previous meth possession charge.
* Kenneth Hauge, 74, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a motions hearing. Hauge’s attorney requested to withdraw from the case due to a conflict of interest. The case was continued for two weeks to give Hauge time to hire a new lawyer. He is facing charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and possession of meth, a Class 5 felony.
* Ricky Ferguson Jr., 44, of Sioux Falls, admitted to violating his probation while serving for a third-offense DUI. He violated the terms by consuming alcohol. Ferguson’s two-year prison sentence remains suspended, and his probation period will restart from the beginning.
* Russell Duley, 26, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a 24-hour bond violation. According to court documents, Duley failed to appear for a scheduled test, marking his fourth bond violation. As a result, he was removed from the twice-weekly testing program and will instead be issued a SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor) bracelet, a device worn on the ankle that continuously monitors alcohol consumption through sweat analysis.
* Bradley Betts, 40, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to failure to provide accurate information and failure to register every six months, both Class 6 felonies. A jury trial is scheduled for August.
* James Jenkins, 34, of Sioux Falls, pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor; possession of two ounces or less of marijuana, obstructing police, and possession of a firearm with a prior misdemeanor conviction involving domestic violence, all Class 1 misdemeanors; possession of a firearm after a violent crime conviction, a Class 6 felony; and possession of meth, a Class 5 felony. A jury trial is scheduled for August.
* Twila His Law, 44, of Mitchell, pleaded not guilty to a domestic abuse/simple assault charge, a Class 1 misdemeanor. A jury trial is set for August.
* Courtney Stork, 45, of Mitchell, appeared in court for a violation of the 24/7 program after failing a drug test. Stork will remain in jail until he provides a clean UA. His counsel also requested forensic testing of physical evidence, which the court approved.
* Kole Hart, 28, of Ethan, pleaded not guilty to possession of drug paraphernalia, a Class 2 misdemeanor; possession of meth, a Class 5 felony; and grand theft involving an amount between $2,500 and $5,000, a Class 5 felony. According to court documents, Hart, a former employee of Menards, was caught on video footage stealing from the store on multiple occasions. Between Dec. 6, 2024, and Jan. 20, 2025, Hart was seen creating picking tickets for various items, which he then took from the store. On one occasion, he had a friend allegedly pick up a pallet of cabinets. The total value of the stolen items is $3,796.37. A jury trial is scheduled for August.