Our People

Randy is a lifelong South Dakotan. Before pursuing his dream of becoming a lawyer, Randy spent four years in the U.S. Air Force, including a tour in Vietnam. He was appointed as the Youngest Director of the Division of Law Enforcement Assistance by Governor Richard F. Kneip. He attended the University of South Dakota School of Law graduating in 1980. While in Law School, Randy served as Editor-in-Chief of the S.D. Law Review and was awarded the Gavel Award as the outstanding student in the graduating class. Following law school, he served as a Law Clerk in U.S. District Court in Sioux Falls, before going into private practice in Mobridge.

After 14 years in private practice, Randy joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He was lead counsel on over 75 federal felony jury trials and over 600 criminal cases and earned several Department of Justice awards for his work. He also served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney and was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as U.S. Attorney. Since retirement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, he has served as Hughes County State’s Attorney and as Chief Prosecutor for the Lower Brule and Standing Rock Sioux Tribes. During the course of his career, Randy has also served on the Fort Pierre City Council, Verendrye Museum Board of Directors, South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles, South Dakota Board of Education, Badlands National Park Conservancy Board of Directors, Mobridge School Board, and the Mobridge Rodeo Association Board of Directors. Randy has four grown children and lives in Fort Pierre with his wife Wanda. Randy says the best job he has ever had is being grandpa to two granddaughters – Brooklyn, age 6, and Alley, age 5.