RAPID CITY, SD- The six Mitchell Legion baseball players accused of rape had their initial appearance in a Pennington County court Tuesday.
Back in June, the Mitchell Baseball Association suspended the team’s season after player misconduct allegations surfaced.
Lincoln Bates, Hudson Haley, Peyton Mandel, Carter Miller, Karter Sibson and Landon Waddell are each charged with Second-Degree Rape and Aiding and Abetting Second-Degree Rape.
Haley has an extra charge of Second-Degree Rape. Waddell is also facing an additional charge of Aiding and Abetting Second-Degree Rape of a Minor.
All six teens pleaded not guilty to all their charges.
Waddell asked for a modification to his bond, which was granted. He will now be allowed to travel with his family over the holidays.
Mandel’s lawyer asked that he be allowed to go to school, as well as participate in basketball and other extracurricular activities while on bond.
The defense says Mandel has not been allowed in school as the other teens have and would like that amended.
According to his lawyer, the victim does not play on the boys basketball team. He does, however, play football.
Seven Circuit Judge Robert Gusinsky granted the motion to attend school as long as Mandel does not attend classes with the victim. Mandel is allowed to play basketball and can attend extracurricular events, but the victim has priority. Gusinsky stated Mandel will have to stay 100 feet away from the victim at activities and 30 feet away during school.
The teens’ next hearing is scheduled for early February.
HAZEL, SD — Over 100 people were at the Hazel Community Center to hear plans about a new proposed dairy farm by one of the largest dairy farms in the country.
The proposed 86-million dollar facility will span over 250 acres and house over 12,000 cows. The land will be provided by Governor Noem’s brothers Rock and Robb Arnold.
After the presentation the floor was opened to the public for questions and concerns. Some of the topics included road and water use, odor prevention and labor.
Win Noem, the mayor of Bryant, SD, attended the meeting to share what his community has seen with Riverview dairy farm over the last five years.
“In small town South Dakota, agriculture is our economic development. We have to have an economic engine and an organization like Riverview is that. They bring economic development that is piece by piece, little by little.
Representatives with Riverview stressed they plan to buy, sell and resource labor locally.
While nothing is set in stone just yet, the group says they plan to continue moving the project forward.
Riverview’s next step will be to apply for a conditional use permit from the County as well as permits for the feed lots.
RAPID CITY, SD — A Rapid City man admits to possessing over 470 images or videos of child pornography.
68-year-old Donald Shepersky hasn’t entered the guilty plea yet but has signed documents admitting to the crime.
In the plea agreement, Shepersky faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a 250-thousand dollar fine, and 5 years to life of supervised release.
DANBURY, IA – Former Danbury, Iowa city clerk Stacy Rockdaschel has been booked into the Woodbury County Jail.
Rockdaschel, 31, was booked into the jail Tuesday morning on charges of ongoing criminal conduct and first-degree theft. As of Tuesday afternoon, Rockdaschel has been released on a $25,000 bond.
Her charges stem from a special audit of Danbury done by the Iowa State Auditor’s office, which accuses Rockdaschel of misspending more than $200,000 in city funds, mostly by using a city credit card for online shopping for personal benefit.
