A 40 year old man from Wagner man has pleaded guilty but mentally ill and has been sentenced for threatening two public officials.
Jason Shields entered guilty pleas Friday in Charles Mix County Circuit Court to one count of Threatening the Governor and one count of Threatening a Judge. The charges occurred in October 2022.
Prosecutors requested that Shields be sentenced to the maximum of 10 years in prison. He was sentenced to five years in prison on each count and credit for 614 days already served. All jail time was suspended, and Shields was placed on probation for four years.
The court based its decision on Senate Bill 70, approved by the 2013 South Dakota Legislature. It determined a probationary sentence should be presumed for non-violent offenders. Prosecutors argued Shields was a danger to the community and not entitled to presumptive probation.
“Threatening the Governor and a Judge are serious offenses, and ones that will be prosecuted,” said Attorney General Jackley. “The use of Senate Bill 70 in this manner speaks to the need for the upcoming Legislature to consider changes to the presumptive probation statute.”
The South Dakota Highway Patrol and the Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office first responded to the threats. The case was handled by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Wagner Police Department, and Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office.
The Attorney General’s Office prosecuted the case.