Its likely that Mike Clark isnt crazy enough for Daugaard by somebody like Roger Hunt or Allen Unrubb might just be insane enough for Denny. Former Division of Criminal Investigation special agent Laura Zylstra Kaiser of Aberdeen is suing DCI chief Bryan Gortmaker and former DCI agent Mark Black for hindering her employment. Zylstra resigned from DCI effective May 18, 2012. "On February 28th I received a copy of that agreement," Kaiser said. 8 days ago. Purpose: Conducts independent investigations or coordinates investigations with other state, endobj We have a woman who is making some very serious allegations against a group of men. stream 2013) case opinion from the District of South Dakota U.S. Federal District Court As you look through the sections that describe the duties of the Division of Criminal Investigation, you will notice that we are very busy working in the background to keep South Dakota citizens safe. Our dedicated staff have unparalleled commitment to our clients as well, and together with our attorneys, they work tirelessly to advance employee and consumer rights. Imagine Marty Jackley complying with a federal judge to hand over DCI emails, people. SD women you dont have to put up with such nastiness. Finished: John D. MacDonald's 'The Brass Cupcake'. 7 0 obj << /PAGE0001 7 0 R >> Most importantly Laura has the truth on her side. . I say so here and now. WebSTATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA CLASS SPECIFICATION Class Title: DCI Special Agent II Class Code: 688802 Pay Grade: L5 _____ A. Hopefully Lauras story, and the jurys verdict, will play a small part in continuing the message that sexual harassment and retaliation cannot be condoned or allowed.. The author Claire Wolfe once said America is at that awkward stage; its too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards. My Family and I have spent years trying to report a case of $800,000 of fraud and theft to DCI in South Dakota. WebWelcome to the DCI Website. Following trial, Kaiser commented: "I would like to thank the jury for their time and for giving me justice. None of the men, including Ross Erickson, were disciplined by DCI or the Brown County Sherriffs Office. >> Deb G, I could never see this good olboy mentality happening in MN. Both grievances were denied. endstream The Court must still decide front pay, which is wage loss post-trial, and attorneys fees. In the 80 year history of DCI, Kaiser said she was just one of two women who were promoted to Special Agent III, the highest level in a non-supervisory role. Maybe it was around in the old day, but not now. A South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation agent is up for a national award, but he needs your help. endobj Apply to Correctional Officer, Inventory Associate, Special Agent and more! q More Highway Patrol Trooper South Dakota State Government Governor Signs Ban on Gender-Affirming Health Care for MinorsReferendum Can Delay Ban for Two Years, SB 193: Mistrusting Teacher Expertise, Castleberry Subjects All Classroom Materials to Lengthy Public Review, Boobgate: Frye-Mueller Gives LRC Staffer Lewd Advice About Husband's Help in Breastfeeding, Heidelberger Right, SD Wrong: One-Year Deadline for Initiative Petitions Violates First Amendment, HJR 5004: Venhuizen Trying to Sabotage Medicaid Expansion with Work Requirement, SD Health Care Association: Nursing Home Crisis Becoming Catastrophe, Powers Sides with Schoenbeck over SDGOP Sponsors on Expanded Primary Bill, HB 1234: Hansen Wants Vouchers to Send Public Money to Religious Schools, SJR 504: Brent Hoffman Seeks Term Limits to Boot Novstrup, Schoenbeck from Senate, South Dakota legislators once again voted to harm families, so we must remember them and vote them out in 2024, After a series of winter storms, regulators approve new standards for power plants, We cant deal with the explosion of gun violence in America until we can hold a rational discussion on guns, Libertarian Party of South Dakota Announces State Convention, Officer Elections This Year, South Dakota Democrats are becoming extinct, February 22, 2023: COVID Weekly Data Update, City of Sioux Falls will be hosting weekly pressers, Try not to wear gold watches when pleading your case. The case is titled, Laura Zyltra Kaiser v. Bryan Gortmaker, in his Official Capacity as South Dakota Director of the Division of Criminal Investigation, 15-CV-1030. Gay men in MN are very open now when it comes to gay equality and all I can say is that the world has been a better place for me for having met these decent men. there are appealable issues, but he has final say.'". http://www.ag.state.mn.us/ A couple years ago I was visiting friends in RC and overheard a group at the next table making fun of the women there. 6 0 obj There are some parts of SD where women are treated with respect and dignity. <> She now runs her own private investigation company. ~D$fQn}d0(i \I$EauuuF|]>p(_t^A :5u2t,2!u6lTN .cL ;8zMxko^ {q//[\{J1hd@K yzN3B=_J. # To say this lawsuit is about SD Representative Dan Kaiser is merely a distraction to the real story. demoted from Special Agent III to Special Agent II and moved to a less desirable position. On November 4, 2011, Laura was in Pierre and aware of all of the state player (regarding her case and ours) that were present in Pierre as well. Over the past couple of years, Laura and I have compared our particular time lines along with documented facts and discovery. Then in April 2012, DCI removed Kaisers state vehicle, told her she could no longer travel from Aberdeen to Pierre on state time, removed her daily stipend, and told her that she could no longer sleep at the police academy barracks in Pierre, where she slept during the week because her family could not afford a second home. Keep in mind that I have several wonderful male friends whom I respect and enjoy. Nor is it about what is happening at the University of Minnesota. Denny Daugaard and Marty Jackley can already see Hell from their decks, Ms. Schwab: if only it was from prison cells. yeah, this is pretty much how sexual harassment is handled in this state, right grudz? Kaiser said at that time she signed the agreement. Kaiser told Erickson to stop, but his comments persisted. Black, however, told other members of DCI and the Brown County Sherriffs Office about Ericksons harassment. We believe the both in front of me were our individual cases. Anyone believing Marty and the DCI want federal probes of their white boys club is delusional. WebSouth Dakota Attorney General Mark Vargo named an interim director of the South Dakota Department of Criminal Investigation on Tuesday. Jackley's office issued this statement about the delay of Kaiser's settlement on Tuesday: "The State of South Dakota confirms today that the State of South Dakota has finalized the Laura Zylstra Kaiser lawsuit. 609.5 0.0 0.0 789.1 1.3 1.4 cm All you need to know about him is that he is an habitual liar. Salary Company Job Openings. If she did something wrong, like breaking the law to catch someone breaking the law, that would be enough. Erickson acknowledged his comments were inappropriate, apologized, and said he would not make any such comments in the future [Complaint, 2015.09.23]. Ms. Geelsdottir, I support all those things. Kaiser said she was reluctant about telling her superiors and eventually was forced out of her post as retaliation for reporting it. I told my attorneys, 'I didn't sue Marty Jackley and i'm not going to enter into a contract with Marty Jackley.'". When called to account, Black allegedly turned against Zylstra Erickson: Later that day, Plaintiff approached Black and asked why he shared her personal information. My Mother first reported these But MC, I am inclined to think that the more to the story may well follow the lines that Shirley and David lay out for us. Why South Dakotans stand for it remains a mystery. '!kcE!>{=C9Cv G4]mY01I&Em@6cR1d>!B u Plaintiff was reassigned to the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in Pierre, South Dakota, over 150 miles from Aberdeen, effective January 3, 2012. But i doubt it. I have personally met with supervisor Jason Even who demonstrated that he was a complete idiot who didnt know the first thing about law enforcement or criminal investigations. WebDCI Special Agent I or II State of South Dakota South Dakota, United States 3 weeks ago Be among the first 25 applicants See who State of South Dakota has hired for this role WebSTATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA CLASS SPECIFICATION Class Title: DCI Special Agent Supervisor Class Code: 688805 Pay Grade: L7 _____ A. << Eventually, she was They are innocent until proven guilty based on a preponderance of the evidence. The four men decided that Kaiser fabricated the sexual harassment allegations as test for Black and decided that they could no longer trust her and refused to work with her. When Zylstra Kaiser pointed out that that Erickson admitted to the conduct, Even chose not to believe her and said he was unhappy with her general work performance. [/PDF /ImageC] Did you know the U of MN has a very active police force of their own to try and fight back all the horrible crimes that are occurring on that campus? Skill and professionalism are just as important as the ability to connect on a personal level. This law suit may lead the way. It happens everyday all over this country, yet when republicans face heat they yell there is another side to this story (without telling it) or that the perp must be proven guilty. %PDF-1.7 Then, her lawyer continued to attempt to contact the DCI attorney without response. Former South Dakota DCI Agent Represented by Nichols Kaster receives $1.2 Million Jury Verdict after Suffering Retaliation and Discrimination Following a five-day trial in Aberdeen, South Dakota, a six-person jury returned a $1.2 million dollar verdict in favor of former South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation agent, Laura Zylstra-Kaiser. Then comes Brown County Deputy Ross Erickson: In or about August 2011, Brown County Deputy Ross Erickson was assigned to the Drug Task Force. Kaiser said she's not sure what Jackley's role in her settlement was, but believes blame for the delay partially falls on him. On information and belief, Black then called Supervisor Jason Even to report Plaintiffs complaints against Erickson and told Even he no longer wanted to work with Plaintiff because he could not trust her. Women are not perfect. Thats hard to find in SD. Through it all, Laura has continued to handle this nightmare with strength, grace and determination and is to be commended for bringing attention to these horrific actions. In March 2012, Kaiser received her worst review of her eight-year career. }1-"y, b.|7h" i>1d&1 <>>> /ProcSet 6 0 R Your email address will not be published. Black attempted to shift the blame to Plaintiff and began ignoring her. She appliedfor jobs with the Department of Social Services, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Labor Relations, and private employers but received no offers, because, she alleges, of DCIs negative references and misrepresentations about [her]employment, demotion, discharge, and performance. She filed charges of discrimination in 2014 against those three state agencies who didnt hire her. In December 2011, following the work improvement plan, DCI informed Kaiser that effective January 3, 2012, she would be demoted from Special Agent III to Special Agent II and transferred to the Medicare Fraud unit in Pierre, South Dakota, away from her husband, Dan, an Aberdeen police officer, and fourteen month old child. Thats too bad for SD and a real reason people leave. I filed a criminal complaint for Misprision of Felony (SDCL 22-11-12), Obstruction of Justice and Willful Failure to Perform Official Duty (SDCL 3-16-1) regarding: (SDCL 23-3-19) (SDCL 23-3-16) (SDCL 23-3-14) (SDCL 23-3-15) (SDCL 23-3-12) (SDCL 23-3-13) (SDCL 7-16-7) (SDCL 23-3-27) (SDCL 1-12-1) and (SDCL 34-20B-63). Clearly you must understand the difference between a court of law and the court of public opinion. View Background Report Sponsored Brett D Spencer 's Record in 2020 Name Brett D Spencer Location South Dakota Phone Ad View phone number Payroll Year 2020 MC, how often do you talk with your male friends about the need to strengthen sex crimes laws, make sure all the rape kits get tested, put more money into child protection, really go after dead beat dads, etc? Job ID: 18640 Location: Statewide Step 1: Complete I think it important we look at the big picture and the intricate timeline that comes into place with Lauras sexual harassment lawsuit and the criminal acts by the same state players in the Schwab Taliaferro malicious prosecution case. WebTimothy R. Whalen, Esq. Former DCI agent Laura Zylstra Kaiser says the state of South Dakota delayed paying her $1.5 million settlement, following a lawsuit over workplace sexual harassment. We are only seeing one side of the story. Then those comments would be taken out of context and used against them. WebThis week, we welcomed a new Special Agent to the Division of Criminal Investigation family! Kaiser again said she didn't want to wait for the money and refused to sign any agreement until she had the checks in hand. Cops lives suck. << Disgusted that Mrs Kaiser had to put up with such criminal behavior by a co-worker and then her supervisors. I have seen situations were women have threaten sexual harassment, to get what what they want. /Type /Page 'GE%ueEy Z"*L>O ;FVIL$E ^tjx%|{/&,8px%q|A`;%)e9SO8w% Males need to change other males. Laura and I believe Black was given his marching orders on that day (November 4, 2011) to get rid of her case along with the Schwab Taliaferro case, partially supported by the following: During the November 4, 2011 off camera recording of Black and Ross Erickson, you can hear the following: Black: I have so much to lose. I asked my friends if what they thought about the other table. Dont be too hard on PP, he probably just doesnt know how to pull up the complaint. Kaiser said if Jackley wasn't involved, she's not sure why that mattered. 2 0 obj <> Clark is pounding sand into our assets. WebSpecial Agent Cam Corey began his law enforcement career in 1998 as a Deputy Sheriff. /Contents 5 0 R Kaiser received positive reviews throughout her career. For a moment,Zylstra thought shed found a supportive ear: Black was supportive offered to speak to Erickson for Plaintiff. An anatomy of the dysfunction under which so much of state government operates. 4 0 obj Meanwhile, Mark Black was in the Brown County DCI interrogation rooms going after the Mette children in a strategic attempt to get them to change their stories. Zylstra Kaiser now charges Gortmaker withreprisal discrimination and sex discrimination under the federal Civil Rights Act and the South Dakota Human RelationsAct. UM has more students, faculty and staff than the population of Rapid City. They hadnt noticed because it was a routine event. Asking Were you horny when you were pregnant?; Saying Go ahead and walk away, because I am going to stare at your ass the whole time; Texting her to ask what color underwear she was wearing; Stating it was a good thing she was not single because otherwise he would hit on her all the time; Remarking that Plaintiff looked hot when she wore glasses. Wingnuts are spinning a tangled web and one day they will receive their just rewards. The only way this will ever before a jury is if Ms. Zylstra Kaiser asks for more than Marty is willing to pay: its just that simple. When watching the recordings of those interrogation videos, Mark Black can be seen receiving text messages and phone calls (along with occasional breaks while leaving each of the children alone for long periods of time in the cold, scary and isolated rooms) during the entire interrogation process. Kaiser told the texter all negotiations would continue to go through her Minneapolis-based attorney. It looks to me like she will be the one that is really on trial. Following a five-day trial in Aberdeen, South Dakota, a six-person jury returned a $1.2 million dollar verdict in favor of former South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation agent, Laura Zylstra-Kaiser. It caught my ear because it was so unusual to me. She was paid on Wednesday after several months of negotiations. MC, the deck continues to be stacked in favor of the rapist/molester/harasser. The jury awarded Kaiser $311,812.00 in lost wages, $498,929.00 in lost retirement benefits, and $400,000.00 in emotional distress damages. Unbeknownst to Plaintiff, Black told Brown County Deputy Damian Bahr and DCI Agent Dave Lunzman, the only other law enforcement in the Aberdeen office, about Ericksons treatment toward Plaintiff. I reported the criminal complaint to Director Gortmaker, Mike Rounds, Dennis Daugaard and Attorney General Marty Jackley. Remember, her life will be an open book before they would get through, and those low lifes arent just setting around playing racehorse pitch. HB 1221: Free School Meals for Every Student in South Dakota! endobj I am also well aware that the large majority of males are not sexual criminals. %PDF-1.5 "I received a text message from an Aberdeen attorney -- who i'll just leave as anonymous at this point --it said, 'I just talked with Marty on your case, hope that is OK, may I call you to be an intermediary directly with him to have no appeals?' /Name /PAGE0001 No. I have worked with the nicest, most decent, sweetest homosexual men and can tell you that I much prefer them over some straight guy that thinks hes gods gift to women. Come on, people! Kaiser then confronted Erickson one-on-one and asked him to stop the harassment. Based upon these dates, this settlement was not delayed. Plaintiff considered his offer but decided she would speak to Erickson herself. We would have been better off reporting these crimes to the Girl Scouts. As Shirley Schwab points out, Ms. Zylstra Kaiser was going through her experience at the same time the DCI and AG office were performing on the Taliaferro-Schwab debacle, and Blacks conduct is a matter of a trail transcript which leads to the judge dismissing the case against them with specific mention of Blacks performance being one of the reasons. ", Lucas Kaster, one of Kaisers attorneys, stated: We are very happy for Laura. FormerDivision of Criminal Investigation special agent Laura Zylstra Kaiser of Aberdeen is suingDCI chief Bryan Gortmaker and former DCI agent Mark Black for hindering her employment. Thanks. c+g4]AjC`D93P=%OEY&TJ?2m;_e[F(Q\yv|.hxysU-nu#oRmX&{;=e|h=*)X+eZR~,-Erh? /Length 47 They greeted each other with an extended ritual of feigned nut-grabbing and knee-lifts-to-groins that would have appeared immature among 10-year-olds, and was performed in front of the county treasurer and auditor windows. WebThe South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources believes in building, developing, and supporting a high-performing and healthy workforce. Purpose: Supervises Division of She was living away from her husband and baby. D-D$3I20eV&,$~ n. No need for me romanticiz about the DCI, in my relationship with Kevin Thumb there was no love. The circuit court approved the Her DCI supervisors accused her of failing at numerous job categories which just months earlier were graded as meets or exceeds expectations. POSTED ON 6/23/2022 AVAILABLE BEFORE 12/22/2022. That seems to be SOP for the DCI for a while now. WebOur special agents are full-spectrum criminal investigators, handling all manners of felony-level criminal activity. Women were simply good, important, worthwhile people who were smart and valuable. JFIF So, the bad guys got away; not because they were clever criminal masterminds, but because of the corruption and incompetence of SD DCI Law Enforcement. Weighing onZylstra Kaisers mind, though, was a 2005 experience in which shehad reported another co-worker for sexual harassmentand gotten the wrong response from the boss: Her then-supervisor, Assistant Director Brian Zeeb, said her complaint could be seen as a sign of weakness and made a comment along the lines of, In the future, if you want a promotion or transfer to a new duty station, some may see this incident as your inability to get along with others. Rather than undertaking an investigation, Zeeb forced her to confronther harasser. In our society we do have courts of laws that seek the truth, in South Dakota justice is what the republican party says it is, and we also have the court of public opinion which can be as valuable as a court of law. #Bh@*Jpi\uRML)p\;SuS(dO}Ziq.!n1+*T82 ,sV2 #/R9iN6]I#[v`L?K[oWC^3Ch+z;nc. She lost her dream job and her career because she stood up for what is right. q PLEASE ATTACH THE <>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> Sexual Harassment - Hostile Work Environment, Failure to Cancel Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), Force Placed Insurance - Flood & Homeowners, Predatory Lending/Unfair Mortgage Servicing, Former South Dakota DCI Agent Represented by Nichols Kaster receives $1.2 Million Jury Verdict after Suffering Retaliation and Discrimination, Loans, Financing, and Borrowers' Rights Overview, Civil Rights and Impact Litigation Overview, Plaintiffs Public Housing Claims Move Forward in Minneapolis, Inside Sales Representative Brings Overtime Case Against Brightwheel, Nichols Kaster, PLLP Awarded First Tier Ranking on The 2023 Best Law Firms List. During the chain of events, Jackley's name was replaced on the agreement with, "elected and appointed officials," and then to Craig Ambach, the Director of the Office of Risk Management for the state. The only thing left is for involuntary sex reassignment. South Dakota has a criminal for a governor just like voters wanted. Almost immediately, he began making sexually explicit comments to Plaintiff, revealing personal information, and making her feel uncomfortable, including, but not limited to: Now the properworkplace response to such behavior is to take this behavior straight to the boss, whose response should be to drop the hammer on the harasser. It was a wonderful atmosphere. endobj Zylstra-Kaiser is doing the right thing by exposing them all. 5 0 obj While none have involved sexual advances (in either direction), the descriptions of DCI personnel here fit with my observations in general of DCI agents. 0 replies 1 Not when they intend to use her to send a message. DCI then conducted an investigation focused on Kaiser, accusing her of fabricating allegations as a trust test and placed her on a Work Improvement Plan just a few days later. Kaiser appealed the discipline to DCI and eventually to South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley, but each of her appeals was denied.