South Dakota
Noem issues seven more pardons since September • South Dakota Searchlight
Gov. Kristi Noem has issued seven pardons this fall, bringing the total number she’s granted since taking office to 348.
The pardons went to people convicted of a range of misdemeanors and low-level felonies, including decades-old repeat DUI convictions, drug possession and domestic disorderly conduct. All seven pardons were signed on Nov. 27.
Noem denies clemency to two thieves, updates commutation for woman convicted of murder
Noem has yet to issue any new commutations since the summer, when she commuted the sentences of two people convicted of murder in 1971 and 1999, respectively. Commutations shrink existing sentences, typically allowing an inmate a chance at early release. Pardons, by contrast, remove a conviction from a person’s record entirely. Noem has issued 27 commutations since her first term began in 2019.
In South Dakota, the state Board of Pardons and Paroles recommends clemency after hearing from the person requesting it, unless the person qualifies for a “paper review” based on having a lower-level offense. All but one of the most recent pardons resulted from paper reviews, the other one resulted from a hearing, and all received positive recommendations.
A majority vote of the board’s nine members sends the recommendation to the governor, who has the sole discretion to issue pardons and commutations under the South Dakota Constitution.
After Noem grants clemency, pardons and commutations are filed with the secretary of state. Pardons are sealed five years later.
The governor hasn’t always waited for or concurred with the board in her clemency decisions. In 2022, she commuted the sentence of Tammy Kvasnicka, who was convicted of vehicular homicide for a 2010 Sioux Falls traffic crash. The board had recommended denial for Kvasnicka. That commutation and six others were issued right around Christmas in 2022.
Noem grants early release to 12 convicted of felonies for drug use
Just after Christmas last year, Noem commuted the sentences of 12 people convicted for felony drug ingestion. That charge, which is unique to South Dakota, allows prosecutions for drug possession based on a failed drug test. None of the 12 people whose ingestion charges were commuted last Dec. 29 had applied for a commutation through the parole board. In her State of the State speech delivered 11 days after signing the commutations, the governor told lawmakers that the state believes in second chances, and that the people offered them through her commutations will have the chance to return to work and take care of their families.
“If South Dakotans do get involved in drugs or another aspect of crime, that should not be the final word,” Noem said in the Jan. 9 speech. “Their punishment should match their crime, but they should also have the opportunity to rehabilitate and become better, more capable members of our society.”
The most recent pardons may be some of Noem’s last. She has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as the next Department of Homeland Security secretary. Trump takes office on Jan. 20, and a Senate vote to confirm Noem could come soon afterward.
12-16-24 Pardons
The seven pardons issued by Gov. Kristi Noem on Nov. 27, 2024.
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – The South Dakota Arts Council is seeking submissions for the Art for State Buildings Program. South Dakota artists have until March 1, 2026, to submit purchase proposals for consideration.
The Art for State Buildings program was created for the purpose of creating a permanent collection for the State of South Dakota and exhibiting the work of talented South Dakota artists in areas of state government buildings with public access. Work purchased will be installed in public access areas of the Capitol and other state buildings in Pierre.
Any South Dakota artists whose body of work has contributed to the state’s cultural heritage and development are encouraged to submit their work. Artists may propose one artwork for purchase.
Proposals will be reviewed by an advisory committee to the South Dakota Arts Council.
Selection will be based on:
- Quality of the proposed work and relevance to the artist’s career;
- The artwork’s relevance to South Dakota’s environment, history, heritage, or culture;
- The applicant’s professional arts experience; and
- Physical attributes of the artwork regarding durability and safety in a public setting
Submissions must be received through the South Dakota Arts Council’s online Artwork Archive platform. The complete request for proposal and submission instructions are posted at https://artscouncil.sd.gov/directories/artstatebldgs.aspx. For assistance call 605-773-3102 or email sarah.carlson@state.sd.us.
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The South Dakota Department of Corrections is warning the public about the pending release of a prison offender.
Richie Desersa, 31, is scheduled to be released from prison to suspended sentence supervision on December 3, 2025.
He was convicted of third-degree burglary in 2017 in Minnehaha County.
“Based on the assessments we conduct during incarceration, as well as his criminal history, including prior sex offenses, Offender Desersa is considered to be high-risk for committing additional violent acts in the future,” said Lamb.
“I am issuing this alert to let law enforcement and the public know about his release.”
Desersa will be released to Sioux Falls with GPS monitoring and must participate in treatment.
He is a Native American male, 5′11″ tall, weighing around 190 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.
This notification is in addition to the letters currently sent to law enforcement and notices provided to the Division of Criminal Investigation each month.
Since 2011, the Department of Corrections has issued a total of 21 public notices of pending high-risk offender releases.
Copyright 2025 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Nov. 30, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Nov. 30 drawing
03-08-13-17-18, Lucky Ball: 17
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize
- Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
- Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
- Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.
When are the South Dakota Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
- Lotto America: 9:15 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Dakota Cash: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Dakota editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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