PIERRE A Brandon woman was sentenced this week to five years in prison, with 3 years suspended, after earlier pleading guilty to one felony count of attempt to distribute a controlled substance.
Melissa Rae Cockerham, 46, was sentenced Monday in Minnehaha County Circuit Court. She had earlier pleaded to attempting to pass an illegal drug to an inmate at the State Penitentiary in Sioux Falls.
Attempts to smuggle illegal drugs into our prisons is a serious crime that endangers staff, inmates, and the public, said South Dakota Attorney Marty General Jackley. We are committed to protecting prison facilities and the people who work and reside there.
The incident happened Nov. 11, 2023, when the defendant attempted to throw a package containing more than five grams of methamphetamine over the prison wall to an inmate. The package did not make it over the wall and was recovered by staff.
Leave a Reply