South Dakota inmate who overdosed on painkillers while on jail shuttle sentenced to more probation

MITCHELL — An inmate who overdosed on painkillers while being transported to a correctional facility was sentenced Tuesday to serve an additional five years of probation for a drug possession charge.

Bradley Reum, 31, pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession of a controlled substance (Oxycodone), a Class 5 felony that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to Davison County State’s Attorney Jim Miskimins, authorities with the Davison County Sheriff’s Office were called to the Pennington County jail shuttle that was traveling near Mitchell to respond to Reum, who was overdosing on Oxycodone pain pills.

Miskimins said officers administered a procedure to help revive Reum while he was overdosing on oxycodone.

When officers revived Reum on the jail shuttle, they uncovered Oxycodone pills in his possession, resulting in the drug possession charge he was sentenced for Tuesday.

During Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Reum said he previously overdosed on a controlled substance in Hughes County. He was charged with a felony drug ingestion from the past overdose in Hughes County, where he resided prior to being sentenced to serve time in prison.

Reum is serving time in prison for the drug ingestion charge that occurred in Hughes County.

According to Reum’s attorney, Zach Flood, Reum is eligible for parole in 2027. Reum noted he was slated to be under parole supervision until 2041 prior to Tuesday’s hearing. He will serve over a decade on probation under the supervision of the Department of Corrections if he is released from prison in 2027 like he anticipates.

Judge Chris Giles opted not to impose additional prison time and rather added more probation for Reum to serve — a move he hopes will add more incentive for Reum to refrain from using drugs after his release from prison. As part of his sentence, Reum had five years of prison time suspended.

Giles issued a stern warning to Reum about putting an end to his drug use and said another overdose could take his life.

Sam Fosness joined the Mitchell Republic in May 2018. He was raised in Mitchell, S.D., and graduated from Mitchell High School. He continued his education at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, where he graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in English. During his time in college, Fosness worked as a news and sports reporter for The Volante newspaper.