Two South Dakota Men Indicted in Connection with the Death of 14-Year-Old McKenna Wendel

Northeast Radio SD News – South Dakota - A federal grand jury has indicted two South Dakota men following the death of a 14-year-old girl, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa announced on Thursday.

United States Attorney Leif Olson, a federal prosecutor serving under the current presidential administration, announced the charges stemming from the missing-person case of McKenna Wendel. The 14-year-old Sioux Falls girl was discovered dead in Brookings, South Dakota, on March 19, 2026.

Mark Milk, 51, of Sioux Falls, and Jon Rogness, 38, of Brookings, were officially charged in an indictment filed on June 17, 2026, within the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa.

According to the June 18 press release, Milk is facing five federal charges:

·         Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance resulting in death.

·         Possession with intent to distribute and distribution of a controlled substance.

·         Transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

·         Conspiracy to conceal objects with the intent to impair their availability for an official proceeding.

·         Concealing objects with the intent to impair their availability for official proceedings.

Rogness is facing two federal counts in connection with the case:

·         Conspiracy to conceal objects with the intent to impair their availability for an official proceeding.

·         Accessory after the fact.

The two defendants are scheduled to make an initial appearance before a judge at the federal courthouse in Sioux City, although the exact date has not yet been determined. The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that charges are merely accusations and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild is leading the prosecution.

The indictment follows a large-scale, multi-agency investigation spanning multiple jurisdictions. Local and state agencies involved include the Sioux Falls Police Department, Sioux Falls Fire Rescue, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Department, Minnehaha County Search and Rescue, and the Minnehaha County Attorney’s Office. Authorities from Brookings also contributed heavily, including the Brookings County Sheriff’s Office, Brookings Police Department, Brookings Fire Department, and the Brookings County Attorney’s Office.

Additional state-level and county assistance came from the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office, the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa State Patrol, the Lyon County (Iowa) Sheriff’s Department, and the Lyon County Attorney’s Office. Federal agencies, including the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, also aided in the investigation.