South Dakota
States race to restrict deepfake porn as it becomes easier to create • South Dakota Searchlight
After a 2014 leak of hundreds of celebrities’ intimate photos, Uldouz Wallace learned that she was among the public figures whose images had been stolen and disseminated online.
Wallace, an actress, writer and social media influencer, found out the images were ones her ex had taken without her consent and had threatened to leak.
Over the next few years, Wallace spent loads of money paying private companies to take down the images, she said. It wasn’t until later that she found out that those same photos had been used to make fake pornographic images of her.
“It’s just ridiculous the amount of time that people have and how much they’re profiting from these kinds of things,” Wallace told Stateline. “For them to sit there and create so much fake content of someone that clearly doesn’t want anything of that sort? Without consent? It’s just crazy to me.”
Mortified, Wallace was reluctant to share her story — at first. But in 2022, she went public with it and now she heads a nonprofit organization, Foundation Ra, that supports people who have become victims of manipulated or artificial intelligence-generated sexual images.
“I thought, ‘At what point is somebody going to do something about this?’” she asked. “And that’s when I decided to share my story and try to change the law.”
As more people, including minors, become victims of deepfake pornography and the industry that’s growing out of it, state lawmakers are pursuing legislation to deter the unauthorized creation and dissemination of digitally altered images.
Criminal cases point to troubling spread of computer-generated child pornography
Deepfakes — digitally altered photos and videos that can make someone appear to be, or be doing, just about anything — have proliferated on the internet. Examples range from simple face swaps done using readily available software to a person grafting Tom Cruise’s face and voice onto their body for content on a TikTok account.
In 2023, the total number of deepfake videos online was 95,820, up 550% from 2019, according to a report by Home Security Heroes, a group that researches best practices for online security. Pornography made up 98% of them.
The issue made international headlines in January, when fabricated sexually explicit images of pop star Taylor Swift that had been created by a free AI generator went viral, prompting lawmakers in several states to introduce legislation to combat deepfake porn, including Missouri’s Taylor Swift Act.
Several years ago, special equipment was needed to make a deepfake video. That’s no longer true, said Marc Berkman, CEO of the Organization for Social Media Safety, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to social media safety.
“This is a clear public policy issue,” Berkman said. “This is a behavior that we recognize causes harm, does not conform to societal values, relies on new technology, and so there should be a public policy response.”
Adding to existing laws
Indiana, Texas and Virginia in the past few years have enacted broad laws with penalties of up to a year in jail plus fines for anyone found guilty of sharing deepfake pornography. In Hawaii, the punishment is up to five years in prison.
Many states are combatting deepfake porn by adding to existing laws. Several, including Indiana, New York and Virginia, have enacted laws that add deepfakes to existing prohibitions on so-called revenge porn, or the posting of sexual images of a former partner without their consent. Georgia and Hawaii have targeted deepfake porn by updating their privacy laws.
Other states, such as Florida, South Dakota and Washington, have enacted laws that update the definition of child pornography to include deepfakes. Washington’s law, which was signed by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee in March, makes it illegal to be in possession of a “fabricated depiction of an identifiable minor” engaging in a sexually explicit act — a crime punishable by up to a year in jail.
Deepfakes and AI have been around, but now it seems like it’s accelerated. We’re just concerned about how we can protect people from the parts that are harmful.
– Washington state Sen. Tina Orwall
Washington state Sen. Tina Orwall, a Democrat, said that she and her colleagues wanted to act right away because it can be hard to keep up with this kind of technology.
“It [technology] just moves so fast,” she said. “Deepfakes and AI have been around, but now it seems like it’s accelerated. We’re just concerned about how we can protect people from the parts that are harmful.”
Deepfake pornography bills also are advancing in other states, including Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey and Ohio.
“States need to have their own laws that empower local law enforcement to be able to step in and act in these circumstances,” said Illinois Republican state Sen. Dan McConchie, who is sponsoring a bill that would prohibit the creation of deepfakes that feature minors engaged in sexual activity. “We can’t wait for an overtaxed federal judiciary to hopefully get around to it at some point.”
There are no federal laws banning deepfake porn, but several bills have been introduced in Congress, including the AI Labeling Act of 2023 and the DEFIANCE Act of 2024. Neither has moved out of committee.
High school victims
In 2023, sophomore students at Westfield High School in New Jersey allegedly created and spread deepfake porn images of Francesca Mani and other classmates without their consent. As a response, school principal Mary Asfendis sent a letter notifying the school community of the incident and inviting students to seek support from the school’s counselors. The school also launched an investigation, Mary Ann McGann, coordinator of school and community relations, wrote in an email to Stateline.
Francesca and her mother, Dorota, have been advocating for legislation that would protect girls in the future, Dorota Mani said in an interview.
Since the Westfield High incident, there have been news reports of middle- and high-school students in California, Florida and Washington state becoming victims of deepfake pornography. The students — primarily girls — were allegedly targeted by their classmates, according to the reports.
Lawmakers decide to study property taxes and regulating the web, and to form Ellsworth committee
The American Legislative Exchange Council, a conservative public policy organization, is promoting model language for state lawmakers to use that would target individual actors rather than technology developers. The Stop Deepfake CSAM Act is intended to supplement laws against child pornography, while the Stop Non-Consensual Distribution of Intimate Deepfake Media Act aims to bolster revenge porn laws.
“Artificial intelligence is a tool that can be used for good or used for ill,” said Jake Morabito, who heads a technology task force at the organization. “What we should be focusing on is harmful conduct use with AI. So, we should go after the bad actors and the harmful conduct, but don’t go after the people who are making the software.”
In Virginia, legislators realized that a revenge porn law enacted in 2014 was not enough to protect people who had been harmed by deepfake porn. As a result, state Del. Marcus Simon, a Democrat, helped pass an amendment in 2019 to include images that were artificially created.
“What duties do we owe to each other as good digital citizens?” Simon asked. “And what are the remedies for violating people? All of that will need to be worked out.”
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(South Dakota News Watch) – Yes. South Dakota is one of almost 30 states that require front and back license plates on vehicles, though there are a couple of exceptions.
Vehicles that are used for “occasional transportation, public displays, parades and related pleasure hobby activities” can use a rear-only plate. The plates cost $25 in addition to the normal registration cost. To qualify, drivers must provide their odometer reading at the time of registration and not exceed 7,500 miles in a year.
Motorcycles are also only required to have one plate.
Why use rear-only plates? Many owners don’t like how front plates take away from the aesthetic of their vehicles. But dual plates are touted as a way to assist law enforcement with crime.
South Dakota offers more than a dozen different types of plates: construction, emblem, habitat conservation, Dignity sculpture, historical, amateur radio license, disabled person, firefighter, EMS, tribal, tribal veteran, veteran and several military plates.
Source
South Dakota Department of Revenue, Personalized and Specialty Plates
South Dakota Department of Revenue, License plate application
Lakota Times, South Dakota specialty plates available July 1
South Dakota laws, 32-5-98
Thompson Law Injury lawyers, Which states require front license plates?
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This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email to get stories when they’re published. Contact Michael Klinski at michael.klinski@sdnewswatch.org.
Copyright 2025 South Dakota News Watch. All rights reserved.
The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 22, 2025, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from Dec. 22 drawing
03-18-36-41-54, Powerball: 07, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Dec. 22 drawing
09-16-23-34-46, Lucky Ball: 07
Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from Dec. 22 drawing
01-09-18-19-44, Star Ball: 02, ASB: 05
Check Lotto America 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.
Five months after Operation: Prairie Thunder officially began, the South Dakota Highway Patrol’s collaborative anti-crime and immigration enforcement effort will continue into the new year, the governor’s office has confirmed.
The program was originally announced by Gov. Larry Rhoden to take place from July 28 through December.
One portion of Operation: Prairie Thunder involves the state’s entrance into multiple 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allow ICE to delegate some authority to state and local law enforcement agencies.
That happened as immigration enforcement operations ramped up after the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who nominated former South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem as the Department of Homeland Security secretary.
Under Trump and Noem, more than 500,000 people have been deported from the country, according to Homeland Security, which has not released state-by-state deportation numbers.
ICE arrest data indicates focus on Hispanic, male individuals
In South Dakota, ICE and Homeland Security have been visible, especially in small towns in the eastern part of the state.
In July, ICE confirmed an active investigation at the Trail King Industries Inc. manufacturing plant in Mitchell, though no further information has been released about whether that investigation resulted in arrests, detainments or deportations.
In May, Manitou Equipment and Global Polymer Industries in Madison saw eight people arrested on immigration charges.
And in October, Drumgoon Dairy near Lake Norden confirmed that the company had been subjected to an immigration audit by Homeland Security, which is not the same as an immigration raid. But it resulted in the forced termination of 38 employees with citizenship information that was outdated, inaccurate or incomplete.
While nationwide ICE arrests and deportations have targeted a wide variety of individuals from multiple countries – including in neighboring Minnesota, where Somalian people have been the most recent target of ICE operations – South Dakota arrests have involved nearly all Hispanic people.
Most recent ICE arrestees in South Dakota are citizens of Mexico and Central America, with the majority coming from Mexico and Honduras, and 98% are male, according to government data obtained via a FOIA request from the Deportation Data Project and analyzed by South Dakota News Watch.
The project currently retains accurate state-based data from July 1 to Oct. 15. The data cannot accurately reflect any arrests prior to July 1 but can help to understand general arrest trends in South Dakota.
Hispanic people across the state have reported feeling less safe, said Ivan Romero, vice president of the South Dakota Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The Latino Festival and Parade, which is hosted in Sioux Falls by the South Dakota Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, was canceled this year due to safety concerns, Romero told News Watch in October.
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“That was unfortunate, but people just don’t feel comfortable coming to Sioux Falls at this point,” he said.
The vast majority of detainer requests from July 1 to Oct. 15 went to the Minnehaha County Jail in Sioux Falls, followed by the Pennington County Jail in Rapid City and the South Dakota State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls.
The Deportation Data Project defines detainer requests as “all requests to state, county, and municipal jails and prisons either for a person to be held on a detainer or for a notification of release date and time. A detainer is a request to a local jail to hold someone for 48 hours beyond when they otherwise would be released so that ICE can make an arrest in the jail while the individual remains detained.”
ICE said that detainer requests are most often lodged against an individual in an agency’s custody that poses a “public safety threat.” Other Homeland Security agencies can issue detainers, but most come from ICE, according to the agency’s website.
Operation: Prairie Thunder focuses on drug operations
To date, ICE has signed more than 1,200 287(g) agreements with agencies in 40 states, including five with various South Dakota agencies enabling parts of Operation: Prairie Thunder.
Those agreements take three different forms:
- Task Force Agreement: The “force multiplier” program that allows law enforcement officers to adopt limited immigration enforcement duties, with ICE oversight. The South Dakota Highway Patrol signed this agreement on May 22 and the South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigations signed it on June 11.
- Warrant Service Officer: Allows law enforcement officers to execute warrants on behalf of ICE on individuals in their agency’s jail. The South Dakota Department of Corrections signed this agreement on Aug. 28, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office signed it on March 17 and the Hughes County Sheriff’s Office in Pierre signed it on March 7.
- Jail Enforcement Model: Allows law enforcement officers to identify and process individuals who may be in violation of immigration laws while they are serving time in their agency’s jail. The DOC signed this agreement on July 25.
While Operation: Prairie Thunder’s immigration enforcement prong has been well-publicized in the state, the majority of the program’s activity comes from enhanced traffic monitoring and drug enforcement, according to data released from the governor’s office.
According to a press release from Operation: Prairie Thunder, 260 of 406 – 64% – of individuals currently in custody as a result of Operation: Prairie Thunder have a drug charge and 156 have been cited with a drug charge and released. More than 2,000 traffic citations have been issued.
The “ICE Contacts” section of Operation: Prairie Thunder’s most recent dataset said that 89 people had been contacted in ICE-related situations since the program was announced. A representative from the Department of Public Safety told News Watch in a statement: “The intent of (Operation: Prairie Thunder) is to reduce crime in our communities.
“It is important to note that any ICE contacts are incidental contacts – we aren’t seeking out illegal aliens during the saturation patrols. However, the 287(g) agreement allows us to coordinate swiftly with ICE if a stop uncovers undocumented individuals. Those undocumented, non-citizens, are the people counted as ‘Individuals Contacted.’ Not all of those found to be undocumented are taken into custody, per ICE guidance, therefore the ‘Contacts’ and ‘Arrests’ sections differ.”
The program, which initially concentrated most of its efforts in Sioux Falls and the surrounding area, has started other efforts across the state.
Operation: Prairie Thunder most recently carried out operations in Belle Fourche, Huron and Yankton, where 75 individuals were taken into custody, 42 with a drug charge. Twenty-seven people were identified as ICE contacts.
The city of Brookings issued a statement on Dec. 12 that the operation would be coming to town Dec. 17-19 and that the city “would not be participating.”
Josie Harms, Rhoden’s press secretary, said the ongoing arrest and citation statistics indicate successful crime-fighting efforts.
“Our results remain impressive, and it is clear that this operation is keeping South Dakota strong, safe, and free — so we are going to keep it up,” Harms said in a statement.
This story was produced by South Dakota News Watch, an independent, nonprofit organization. Read more stories and donate at sdnewswatch.org and sign up for an email for statewide stories. Investigative reporter Molly Wetsch is a Report for America corps member covering rural and Indigenous issues. Contact her at molly.wetsch@sdnewswatch.org.
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