A Pennington County Grand Jury is returning indictments against nine individuals on the Mitchell Legion baseball team in connection to alleged hazing acts involving what officials are calling sexual assault.
Six individuals are charged with second-degree rape as well as aiding and abetting rape. The suspects range in age from 17 to 19.
Three other juveniles are pending charges in juvenile court, which are closed to the public. Their charges are not being disclosed.
The charges issued Thursday stem from when the baseball team was in Rapid City for a tournament in June.
Pennington County States Attorney Lara Roetzel calls the incident a serious criminal offence involving forceable sexual assault.
“Although the case has been described as an initiation or a hazing, that’s not what the case is at all. It’s disturbing to me that it’s being characterized that way. It’s a sexual assault case. We need to stop calling it anything other than that.”
In July, Attorney General Marty Jackley announced his office was investigating allegations involving the Mitchell American Legion Baseball program.
State law defines second-degree rape as sexual penetration of any person through the use of force, coercion or threats of immediate bodily injury that is followed through with execution.
Both charges are class 1 felonies punishable up to 50 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Although the case is being tried in Pennington County, Roetzel said she has good reason to believe this is not an isolated incident with this ball club and has occurred for as long as five years.
“I do have reason to believe this is a culture, a continuing pattern of behavior, with that organization," Roetzel said. "I truly hope that if anyone else has been a victim, this is the time now to come forward and have all of that come to light and addressed so this can stop once and for all—that this culture ends with this case.”
Those 16 and older at the time of the offence who are charged with a Class 1 felony are tried in circuit court as an adult.
Roetzel said charges are also being considered for adults affiliated with the team who are alleged to have had knowledge of these crimes but did not report them to law enforcement.
