Former South Dakota Senate candidate Joel Koskan’s plea deal in child abuse case rejected by judge

Trent Abrego, Sioux Falls Argus Leader
·3 min read

A man who unsuccessfully ran for the South Dakota Senate had his plea deal rejected by a Sixth Circuit Judge on Monday.

Joel Matthew Koskan, 44, faces one felony count of child abuse, according to online court documents for acts that were alleged to have happened between Oct. 5, 2014 and Oct. 5 2016. Koskan exposed the now 20-year-old victim to "sexual grooming behaviors," according to a complaint.

The probable cause statement for Koskan was sealed by order of the South Dakota Office of the Attorney General, according to previous reporting from the Argus Leader.

According to reporting by the Mitchell Daily Republic, which obtained that document, the five-page probable cause statement filed against Koskan was done so by a female family member who realized the way Koskan interacted and touched her since she was a child was inappropriate. Koskan allegedly had sexual intercourse with the victim multiple times throughout different residences across the state. He also tracked the victim's location via GPS tracking through her phone and vehicle, according to the Mitchell Daily Republic reporting.

The Republican candidate texted the victim the day she talked to authorities after tracking her location, according to the Mitchell Daily Republic. A message thread from May 6 indicated Koskan knew the victim was talking with authorities.

“You promised you’d never do this,” Koskan texted. “I’m begging you, you don’t want to do this.”

In a proposed plea agreement filed for court's consideration dated Nov. 7, the maximum sentence for Koskan would have had a suspended execution of sentence with prison and jail time suspended.

More: South Dakota Senate candidate Joel Koskan's plea deal consideration in child abuse case made public

That plea agreement would have also included the following:

  • Completing a psycho-sexual assessment as well as pay the victim's individual therapy sessions with a therapist of her choosing if she decides to attend therapy, according to the agreement.

  • Paying the victim's course of study, including any tuition, fees, books and room/board at an accredited academic institution. The obligation will cease upon the victim's graduation or until she reaches the age of 22, whichever comes first, according to court documents.

  • A 2017 Chevy Malibu in the victim's possession provided by Koskan will be signed over to her guaranteeing her continued use of the vehicle.

  • Providing health, eye and dental insurance for the victim until she graduates or reaches the age of 22, whichever comes first, according to court documents.

  • Koskan will have no contact, either by direct or indirect means, except as authorized by the court with the victim.

However, on Monday, that agreement was rejected by Margo Northrup, a circuit court judge.

"The Court having had the opportunity to consider the pre-sentence report, now provides notice to the parties of its intent to reject the plea agreement and advises the defendant that the Court is not bound by the plea agreement and if the defendant pleads guilty or nolo contendere to the charge, the disposition of the case may be less favorable to him than that contemplated by the plea agreement," a notice obtained by the Argus Leader read.

More: Court date moved for former South Dakota Senate candidate accused of child abuse

Koskan pleaded not guilty to the charges on Nov. 7, 2022. Another court date has not been set as of Monday morning.

Koskan is a Republican who ran against Rep. Shawn Bordeaux, a Mission Democrat for the senate seat in District 26 in the 2022 Election, when he lost to Bordeaux by a 58% to 41% margin.

Prior to the 2022 Election, Koskan lost in the 2018 and 2020 election to Troy Heinert.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Judge rejects Joel Koskan's plea deal in child abuse case