Attorney General Marty Jackley has announced the conviction of Joshua Westenkirchner, a 42-year-old prison employee from Harrisburg, for two counts of simple assault against a prison inmate in Sioux Falls.
The verdict also included acquittals on a third simple assault charge and an aggravated assault charge.
The incidents took place on March 14 and 15, 2022.
Jackley said that this isolated incident should not tarnish the reputation of other dedicated correctional officers.
The investigation was managed by the State Division of Criminal Investigation, and the case was presented by the Attorney General’s Office.