Eleven people– including seven prison inmates, one former contracted state employee and three private citizens– are now facing criminal charges in connection with the November drug overdose death of an inmate at the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield. 46 year old Timothy Tyree was reported deceased Nov. 17, 2025. An autopsy revealed he had ingested the synthetic cannabinoid K2. During the same time, other inmates indicated that they’d also had ingested K2. Those charged are: Tricia Bradley, 56, Springfield, former state contracted food service worker, on five charges: Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death; Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Distribution of Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of Controlled Substance; and Delivery or Intent to Deliver Unauthorized Article to Inmate. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 60 years in prison or jail. Vanessa Baker, 54, Echo, MN, on five charges: Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death; Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Distribution of Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of Controlled Substance; and Delivery or Intent to Deliver Unauthorized Article to Inmate. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 60 years in prison or jail. Morgan Benson, 27, Sioux Falls on five charges: Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death; Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Distribution of Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of Controlled Substance; and Delivery or Intent to Deliver Unauthorized Article to Inmate. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 60 years in prison or jail. Wicanhpiduta Brant, Inmate at Mike Durfee Prison on six charges: Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death; Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Distribution of Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of Controlled Substance; Delivery or Intent to Deliver Unauthorized Article to Inmate; and Possession of Prohibited Controlled Substance by Inmate. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 70 years in prison or jail. Tyler Gallant, 36, Inmate at Mike Durfee Prison on six charges: Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death; Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Distribution of Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of Controlled Substance; Delivery or Intent to Deliver Unauthorized Article to Inmate; and Possession of Prohibited Controlled Substance by Inmate. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 70 years in prison or jail. Kok Put Kach, 41, Sioux Falls on five charges: Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death; Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Distribution of Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of Controlled Substance; and Delivery or Intent to Deliver Unauthorized Article to Inmate. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 60 years in prison or jail. Duoth Kek, 40, Inmate at Mike Durfee Prison and federal ICE detainee from Ethiopia on five charges: Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death; Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Distribution of Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of Controlled Substance; and Delivery or Intent to Deliver Unauthorized Article to Inmate. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 60 years in prison or jail. Komakeg Loyira, 30, Inmate at Mike Durfee Prison and federal ICE detainee from South Sudan on five charges: Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death; Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Distribution of Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of Controlled Substance; and Delivery or Intent to Deliver Unauthorized Article to Inmate. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 60 years in prison or jail. Saquan Pemberton, 30, Inmate at Mike Durfee Prison on six charges: Distribution of Controlled Substances Resulting in Death; Aiding, Abetting, or Advising Distribution of Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance Resulting in Death; Distribution of Controlled Substance; Delivery or Intent to Deliver Unauthorized Article to Inmate; and Possession of Prohibited Controlled Substance by Inmate. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 70 years in prison or jail. Keith Hawk, 30, Inmate at Mike Durfee Prison on two charges: Possession of Prohibited Controlled Substance by an Inmate and Unauthorized Possession of a Controlled Substance. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 15 years in prison or jail. Trenton Redwater, 27, Mitchell on two charges: Aiding, Abetting or Advising Possession of Prohibited Controlled Substance by an Inmate and Keeping Place for Use or Sale of a Controlled Substance. Faces a combined maximum sentence of 15 years in prison or jail. He was an inmate at the time the crime was committed. The maximum sentences for some of the indicted defendants may be enhanced by habitual offender provisions or by state law which allows for certain criminal penalties to be doubled when committed by prisoners of a state correctional facility. South Dakota’s Division of Criminal Investigation and the Department of Corrections Office of the Inspector General investigated the death. The Attorney General’s Office will prosecute. The defendants were indicted last week by a Bon Homme County Grand Jury. They are presumed innocent under the U.S. Constitution. Charges have now been filed in four of the eight suspected drug overdose deaths of prison inmates that occurred in 2025. The three other cases where charges have been filed are currently proceeding through court. The four other cases remain under investigation. ...read more read less