Suspended and conditional sentences given to former Mitchell Legion baseball players – Mitchell Republic

RAPID CITY — Six former Mitchell American Legion baseball players were each sentenced to three years of probation, a $1,300 fine and 500 hours of community service during a sentencing hearing Thursday.

Hudson Haley, 19; Landon Waddell, 20; Lincoln Bates, 19; Karter Sibson, 18; Carter Miller, 19; and Peyton Mandel, 18, were all given suspended sentences, which will allow them to avoid a formal conviction if they successfully complete the terms of their probation.

On Thursday morning, Seventh Judicial Circuit Judge Robert Gusinsky imposed sentences on six former Mitchell Legion baseball players after they were initially charged with rape.

“Our goal throughout this case, and we worked closely with the victims on this, was to make sure there was accountability for what happened in that hotel room in Rapid City, but also to address the systemic problem in the hopes that we could address it and change it,” Pennington County Senior Deputy State’s Attorney Roxanne Hammond said after the hearing.

The sentencing hearings, held in Pennington County, marked the culmination of an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse that occurred at a baseball tournament in Rapid City. The six players were charged in June 2023.

In addition, the judge issued a restraining order, which prohibits any form of interaction with the victim, TS. The former players must perform community service in a non-sporting capacity and write a letter of apology to the victim.

The judge weighed factors such as the nature of the crime, the defendants’ cooperation with authorities and the impact on victims. The case has sparked discussions about team culture, accountability and the fine line between hazing and criminal behavior in sports.

“The grace and forgiveness of the victims and their families is enviable. I am humbled by their courage and grace,” Gusinsky said.

Several of Mitchell’s former baseball players apologized to “TS” in court on Thursday.

“I’m the oldest. I should have taken responsibility and not let it happen,” Waddell said.

“I didn’t want to hurt anybody,” Haley said. “I didn’t want to hurt TS”

“I learned from what I did,” Sibson said.

What was initially described by some as hazing was confirmed by the Pennington County Prosecutor’s Office as a sexual assault involving two 16-year-old victims.

After a two-month investigation led by the state Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), a Pennington County grand jury indicted the six players on August 4, 2023, on charges of second-degree rape and aiding and abetting.

Two players, Waddell and Haley, received more serious charges. Waddell was charged with two counts of complicity in second-degree rape and one count of second-degree rape, while Haley was charged with two counts of second-degree rape and one count of complicity in second-degree rape. All of these charges are Class 1 felonies, each carrying a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.

The remaining four players — Bates, Sibson, Mandel and Miller — were each charged with one count of second-degree rape and one count of aiding and abetting second-degree rape. Those charges are also class 1 felonies with the same potential penalties.

The indictment was the result of testimony from DCI agents, the victims and other witnesses.

In October 2023, all six defendants appeared in court and pleaded not guilty. In a series of legal developments, all six former Mitchell Legion baseball players accepted plea agreements in connection with the sexual abuse case. The process proceeded in two phases, with the first group reaching a plea agreement in June and the second group going to trial in July 2024.

Mandel, Miller and Bates initially accepted a plea deal in June. They admitted to aiding and abetting a misdemeanor, a Class 5 felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Prosecutors recommended that Mandel and Miller receive probation, along with a suspended sentence, which would potentially allow them to clear their criminal records if they complied with court orders. Bates received a similar agreement.

The remaining defendants — Sibson, Haley and Waddell — followed suit and pleaded guilty to the same charge of aiding and abetting a felony. These plea agreements, like those of their co-defendants, significantly reduced the severity of the charges from the original charges of second-degree rape, which could have carried sentences of up to 50 years in prison.

Jennifer Leither joined Mitchell Republic in April 2024. She grew up in Sioux Falls, SD, where she attended Lincoln High School. She continued her education at South Dakota State University, where she graduated in December 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. While in college, Leither worked as a reporter for the campus newspaper, The Collegian. She also interned at Anderson Publications in Canistota, SD during the summer of 2000. After graduating, Leither continued to live in the Sioux Falls area and worked as a freelance writer for the Argus Leader for several years.
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