Operation Prairie Thunder Operations Seven and Eight Yield Results in South Dakota Communities
- Steve Jurrens
- Dec 13, 2025
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News – South Dakota - The South Dakota Highway Patrol, in collaboration with city, county, and federal law enforcement agencies, has released combined totals for the seventh and eighth sets of saturation patrols conducted under “Operation: Prairie Thunder,” which concluded on December 5.
The focused patrols took place in Belle Fourche, Huron, and Yankton, communities that also hosted the operation in mid-November. The attachment also provides cumulative totals for the entire operation, which began on August 27, 2025.
Governor Larry Rhoden praised the ongoing multi-community initiative, stating that Operation: Prairie Thunder “continues to do great work to keep South Dakota strong, safe, and free,” emphasizing its success in removing drugs and putting “criminals behind bars.” The focused saturation patrols are designed to detect and deter crime and address unsafe behavior on the roads across the state.
The combined results from the saturation patrols conducted in Belle Fourche, Huron, and Yankton show significant activity in drug apprehension and criminal enforcement:
· Custody Totals: A Total of 75 individuals were taken into custody during the seventh and eighth operations.
o Drug Charges: 42 individuals were taken into custody with a drug charge.
o Total Drug Charges: There were 134 total drug charges filed, including 47 felony drug charges and 87 misdemeanor drug charges.
· Warrants and Absconders: Law enforcement executed 14 warrants (9 felony, five misdemeanor) and apprehended one individual each on parole and probation absconder charges.
· Traffic and ICE Contacts:
o Citations and Warnings: The operations resulted in 290 citations and 578 warnings.
o DUIs and Revocations: Five DUI arrests were made, and eight revoked license incidents were recorded.
o ICE Contacts: Law enforcement contacted 27 individuals, interviewed 25 individuals, and took 21 individuals into custody under ICE protocols.
Operation: Prairie Thunder Cumulative Running Totals
Since the operation began on August 27, 2025, and through the conclusion of the eighth set of patrols on December 5, the total enforcement actions across all communities involved in Operation: Prairie Thunder have reached notable milestones:
· Total Individuals in Custody: A cumulative 406 individuals have been taken into custody.
o Drug Charges: A total of 260 individuals were taken into custody with a drug charge.
o Total Drug Charges: There have been 1,017 total drug charges filed, which include 302 felony drug charges and 715 misdemeanor drug charges.
· Criminal Enforcement:
o Warrants: A total of 244 warrants have been executed (80 felony, 164 misdemeanor).
o Absconders: 20 absconders have been apprehended (16 parole, four probation).
o Seizures: The operation has resulted in the seizure of 8 guns and $8,064.00 in U.S. currency.
· Traffic Enforcement: Cumulative traffic enforcement totals include 35 DUIs, 108 revoked license incidents, 2,028 citations, and 2,198 warnings.
