South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced Wednesday that five people, including a former correctional officer and two current inmates, have been indicted for transporting contraband into the South Dakota State Penitentiary.
“Transporting illegal items into the prison makes the facility less safe for staff and inmates,” Jackley said. “We will not tolerate such activity and thank the Department of Corrections for its cooperation with the investigation.”
The individuals indicted are:
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Carson DeYoung, 22, Sioux Falls, former South Dakota Department of Corrections correctional officer
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Max Bolden, 42, current inmate
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Simba Oma Maat, 25, current inmate
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Nancy Sage, 52, Sioux Falls
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Chandler Boone, 31, Denver, CO
Charges include:
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Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance (Methamphetamine): Felony; up to 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. For inmates Bolden and Maat, maximum sentence may be doubled.
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Conspiracy to Distribute Synthetic Cannabinoids (K2): Felony; up to 5 years and a $10,000 fine, doubled for Bolden and Maat.
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Conspiracy to Deliver Authorized Article (Cell Phone) to an Inmate: Felony; up to 5 years and $10,000 fine, doubled for Bolden and Maat.
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Conspiracy to Deliver Unauthorized Article (Vape Pen) to an Inmate: Misdemeanor; up to 1 year and $2,000 fine, doubled for Bolden and Maat.
Additional charges for DeYoung include possession of an anabolic steroid with intent to deliver to an inmate (up to 10 years) and possession with intent to distribute (up to 5 years). Sage also faces felony possession charges for methamphetamine and synthetic cannabinoids.
According to Jackley, Boone procured the items and mailed them to Sage. DeYoung had agreed to transport some items into the penitentiary but had not yet done so; authorities continue investigating other contraband DeYoung may have smuggled.
Inmates Bolden and Maat are serving long-term sentences; Bolden is serving life for murder, and Maat is serving time for first- and second-degree burglary, with a scheduled release in 2028.
The investigation was conducted by South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute.