RAPID CITY, SD – Two weeks after the interagency Parole Task Force began operations in Pennington County, officials report that 35 parolees have been taken into custody for new or outstanding criminal offenses committed in the community.

The task force has made 40 total arrests for various parole violations, new offenses, and outstanding warrants since beginning operations on April 15, 2026. Of those arrests, 18 offenders were confirmed to be on parole. An additional 17 parolees were arrested during the same timeframe through routine enforcement efforts by local law enforcement.

In South Dakota, a parolee is an individual released from a penitentiary before completing their sentence for felony convictions. While in the community, they remain under the supervision of the South Dakota Department of Corrections and a parole agent.

The targeted enforcement efforts are focused on identifying and apprehending parole absconders, those with active warrants, and individuals involved in recent criminal activity in the Rapid City area.

One high-profile case highlighted by officials involved the apprehension of parolee Deja Guthmiller. The task force utilized significant resources to locate Guthmiller, who was eventually arrested in Meade County following a callout of the Pennington County/Rapid City Special Response Team.

Authorities recovered two AR-15 style rifles that Guthmiller had allegedly stolen during a recent crime spree. His recent offenses included a robbery in Box Elder on April 5, where he allegedly held a revolver to a victim’s belly during a vehicle sale. Guthmiller was also linked to a vehicle burglary, vandalism, and multiple instances of fleeing from law enforcement on April 23.

According to a press release, operations of the task force will continue based on it’s success.