After serving over 43 years as a prosecutor in South Dakota, United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced today that he intends to retire. Holmes, a Custer, South Dakota native, began his career as a prosecutor in 1978 as a clinical law intern in the Pennington County States Attorney’s Office while still in Law School at the University of South Dakota. The following spring Holmes was offered a position by then newly elected South Dakota Attorney General Mark Meierhenry to serve as an Assistant Attorney General in the litigation division. He spent nine years in the Attorney General’s office handling a broad variety of criminal cases ranging from homicides to drug conspiracies. He also represented the State of South Dakota in civil litigation, including jurisdictional challenges on Indian country issues. While in the Attorney General’s Office Holmes held the positions of head of the litigation division, Deputy Attorney General, and Chief Deputy Attorney General. Holmes said, “I was very fortunate to begin my legal career under the tutelage of Mark Meierhenry. Mark was a great lawyer and a mentor to so many South Dakota attorneys.”
In 1988 Holmes joined the United States Attorney’s Office in Pierre where he handled primarily Indian country criminal cases and drug prosecutions. In 1995 Holmes moved to the Sioux Falls U.S. Attorney’s office to become the lead Drug Task Force prosecutor for the District of South Dakota. During his 34 years as a federal prosecutor Holmes prosecuted a wide array of federal criminal cases, including large scale drug conspiracies, violent crimes, tax fraud, federal program fraud, and environmental crimes. He received several awards for his work in the U.S. Attorney’s office, including the Director’s Award for Superior Performance by an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Outstanding Performance Award from the Environment Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice, the Bronze Medal Award from the Environmental Protection Agency, West Central Region Organized Crime Drug Taskforce Award for Outstanding Achievement, National Department of Justice Organized Crime Drug Taskforce Award for Outstanding Achievement, and Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Prosecutor of the year Award. Holmes has served three times as Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. Holmes also held the position of First Assistant U.S. Attorney for four different U.S. Attorneys. He has been the Criminal Chief for the office for over 19 years.
Holmes said, “It has been an honor to work with so many dedicated law enforcement officials from state, local, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies who toil every day to keep our communities safe. In my career I also have had the privilege of serving alongside many talented and devoted attorneys. I have always admired their professionalism and their dedication to public service.”
Holmes began serving as Acting U.S. Attorney under the Vacancies Reform Act on February 26, 2021, following the resignation of U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons. On December 23, 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Holmes U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota for 120 days under the provisions of 28 U.S.C. § 546. The U.S. District Court will appoint an interim U.S. Attorney on April 22, 2022. Holmes has agreed to remain with the office for a period of time to assist with the transition.