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SD Prison Employee Arrested in Ohio for Inmate Contact
15 Jul
Summary
- Gretchen Erskine arrested in Ohio on felony charges.
- Alleged contact with inmate occurred between May 2025 and Jan. 2026.
- Felony charges carry up to two years in prison and a $4,000 fine.
A Springfield, South Dakota woman, Gretchen Erskine, 36, has been apprehended in Ohio. She is facing felony charges for alleged inappropriate contact with an inmate while employed at Mike Durfee State Prison.
Erskine was booked into the Mercer County Jail in Celina, Ohio, on July 11, 2026. An extradition hearing is pending in Ohio, after which she will be transported back to South Dakota.
Prosecutors allege that between May 1, 2025, and September 30, 2025, and again between January 19, 2026, and January 25, 2026, Erskine engaged in sexual activity with an inmate identified as R.H.
A $10,000 cash arrest warrant was issued on May 26, 2026, after Erskine had not been taken into custody. A Class 6 felony in South Dakota is punishable by up to two years in state prison, a $4,000 fine, or both.
