South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley says 11 people—including seven inmates, three civilians, and one former state contractor—have been indicted in connection with the November 2025 overdose death of inmate Timothy Tyree, 46, at the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield.
Tyree died on Nov. 17, 2025. An autopsy showed he had ingested synthetic cannabinoids (K2), and several other inmates reported using the same drug at the time. Jackley said investigators uncovered a conspiracy in which four civilians, including a contracted worker, smuggled drugs into the prison
Those charged include three civilians — Vanessa Baker, Morgan Benson, and Tricia Bradley — and eight inmates, each facing varying drug‑related counts. Several defendants face up to 60 or 70 years in prison, while two face maximum sentences of 15 years. Some penalties could be enhanced under habitual‑offender provisions or laws that allow sentence doubling for crimes committed by state prisoners.
The case was investigated by the Division of Criminal Investigation and the Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General. The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute. All defendants were indicted last week by a Bon Homme County grand jury and are presumed innocent.
Charges have now been filed in four of the eight suspected inmate overdose deaths from 2025. The remaining cases are still under investigation.
Comments