Four Kingsbury County Individuals Indicted on Charges Related to Failure to Pay for Grain Delivery

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Tuesday, June 26, 2018

PIERRE, S.D. – Attorney General Marty Jackley and Kingsbury County States Attorney Gregg Gass announced today that a Kingsbury County Grand Jury has indicted four owners, officers or managers of H & I Grain of Hetland, Inc. for felonies relating to the H & I’s alleged failure to pay for grain delivered to their elevators by local farmers.

Duane Jens Steffensen, 67, Hetland

• one count of conspiracy to fail to notify the Public Utilities Commission of H & I Grain of Hetland Inc.’s financial status, causing financial harm to a grain supplier, class 6 felony, punishable by up to one year in the state penitentiary and/or $2,000 fine
• fifteen counts of failure to notify the Public Utilities Commission of H & I Grain of Hetland Inc.’s Financial Status, causing financial harm to grain supplier, class 6 felony, punishable by up to two years in the state penitentiary and/or $4,000 fine
• one count of theft by deception, class 2 felony, punishable by up to 25 years in the state penitentiary and/or $50,000 fine
• one count of theft by deception, class 3 felony, punishable by up to 15 years in the state penitentiary and/or $30,000 fine
• one count of theft by deception, class 4 felony, punishable by up to 10 years in the state penitentiary and/or $20,000 fine

JoAnn Marie Steffensen, 66, Hetland

• one count of conspiracy to fail to notify the Public Utilities Commission of H & I Grain of Hetland Inc.’s financial status, causing financial harm to a grain supplier, class 6 felony, punishable by up to one year in the state penitentiary and/or $2,000 fine
• fifteen counts of failure to notify the Public Utilities Commission of H & I Grain of Hetland Inc.’s Financial Status, causing financial harm to grain supplier, class 6 felony, punishable by up to two years in the state penitentiary and/or $4,000 fine

Jared Duane Steffensen, 37, Arlington

• one count of conspiracy to fail to notify the Public Utilities Commission of H & I Grain of Hetland Inc.’s financial status, causing financial harm to a grain supplier, class 6 felony, punishable by up to one year in the state penitentiary and/or $2,000 fine
• fifteen counts of failure to notify the Public Utilities Commission of H & I Grain of Hetland Inc.’s Financial Status, causing financial harm to grain supplier, class 6 felony, punishable by up to two years in the state penitentiary and/or $4,000 fine
• one count of theft by deception, class 2 felony, punishable by up to 25 years in the state penitentiary and/or $50,000 fine

Tami Faye Steffensen, 34, Arlington

• one count of conspiracy to fail to notify the Public Utilities Commission of H & I Grain of Hetland Inc.’s financial status, causing financial harm to grain supplier, class 6 felony, punishable by up to one year in the state penitentiary and/or $2,000 fine
• fifteen counts of failure to notify the Public Utilities Commission of H & I Grain of Hetland Inc.’s Financial Status, causing financial harm to grain supplier, class 6 felony, punishable by up to two years in the state penitentiary and/or $2,000 fine
• one count of theft by deception, class 2 felony, punishable by up to 25 years in the state penitentiary and/or $50,000 fine
• two counts of theft by deception, class 3 felony, punishable by up to 15 years in the state penitentiary and/ or $30,000 fine
• one count of theft by deception, class 4 felony, punishable by up to 10 years in the state penitentiary and/ or $25,000 fine

All defendants are presumed innocent until such time as proven guilty.

Initial Appearance dates for defendants has not yet been set.