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South Dakota criminal charge

Sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees in South Dakota

Current through 2026 South Dakota legislative session

Sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees is a criminal offense under South Dakota law, defined by SDCL § 22-22-7.6. Its classification is not fixed: South Dakota assigns a different penalty class depending on the circumstances of the offense. The class that applies — and the sentencing range that follows from it — depends on which statutory variant fits the facts.

Defined by SDCL § 22-22-7.6.

What is the penalty for sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees in South Dakota?

Penalties for Sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees
PenaltyRangeBasisAuthority
Jail / prisonup to 2 years (Sexual contact/penetration with adult detainee — Applies when the victim of the sexual contact or penetration is an adult in detention under the person's custodial, supervisory, or disciplinary authority.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Fineup to $4,000 (Sexual contact/penetration with adult detainee — Applies when the victim of the sexual contact or penetration is an adult in detention under the person's custodial, supervisory, or disciplinary authority.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Jail / prisonup to 10 years (Sexual contact/penetration with juvenile detainee — Applies when the victim of the sexual contact or penetration is a juvenile in detention under the person's custodial, supervisory, or disciplinary authority.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1
Fineup to $20,000 (Sexual contact/penetration with juvenile detainee — Applies when the victim of the sexual contact or penetration is a juvenile in detention under the person's custodial, supervisory, or disciplinary authority.)discretionarySDCL § 22-6-1

Applies to current.

How is sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees classified in South Dakota?

The classification depends on the circumstances:

Classification variants for Sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees
VariantClassificationWhen it appliesStatute
Sexual contact/penetration with adult detaineeClass 6 FelonyApplies when the victim of the sexual contact or penetration is an adult in detention under the person's custodial, supervisory, or disciplinary authority.SDCL § 22-22-7.6undefined
Sexual contact/penetration with juvenile detaineeClass 4 FelonyApplies when the victim of the sexual contact or penetration is a juvenile in detention under the person's custodial, supervisory, or disciplinary authority.SDCL § 22-22-7.6undefined

Common questions about sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees in South Dakota

Is sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees a felony or a misdemeanor in South Dakota?

It depends on the circumstances: sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees ranges from a Class 6 Felony to a Class 4 Felony in South Dakota under SDCL § 22-22-7.6.

Sexual contact/penetration with adult detainee: Class 6 Felony (SDCL § 22-22-7.6) · Sexual contact/penetration with juvenile detainee: Class 4 Felony (SDCL § 22-22-7.6)

What are the penalties for sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees in South Dakota?

Penalties for sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees in South Dakota depend on how it is classified — from a Class 6 Felony up to a Class 4 Felony — with the ranges set by SDCL § 22-6-1; the full table of ranges by variant is published on this page.

Which South Dakota statute covers sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees?

Sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees is governed by SDCL § 22-22-7.6 (Sexual acts between jail or juvenile correctional facility employees and detainees--Felony).

Legal terms used in this law

This reference is informational and is not legal advice. Penalty ranges are the statutory classification ranges; sentencing in a specific case depends on its facts and history.