Brookings man sentenced to 10 years in prison for assaulting prison guards

BROOKINGS – A Brookings man arrested last fall on assault charges was effectively sentenced last week to 10 years in state prison – five for assaulting a prison guard and five reinstatements on a previous domestic violence conviction.

Sean Franklin, 36, pleaded guilty to aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, a Class 2 felony. On that charge, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, with five years suspended.

As part of an agreement with prosecutors, Franklin’s sentence from an aggravated domestic violence conviction was reinstated on February 22, 2022 and ordered by Judge Dawn Elshere to run consecutively with the other sentence.

Franklin was arrested in late September 2023 on assault charges after leading police on a chase across the city. The officers had to arrest him to finally arrest him.

Days later, additional charges were filed against him when he caused a disturbance at the county jail and attacked a prison guard.

According to court documents, Franklin bit a correctional officer on the bicep. He allegedly head-butted another correctional officer, as well as punching and elbowing her, resulting in a concussion and a broken rib.

Law enforcement responded to a call from the prison in early October 2023 that Franklin was refusing orders and causing a disturbance at the prison.

When officers arrived, records say Franklin spit in the face of officers, who took him to an isolation cell.

Franklin was on probation after pleading guilty to breaking into a woman’s home and assaulting her in February 2022.

In this case, the charges state that on or about September 19 of that year, Franklin entered or remained at an occupied residence in Brookings with the intent to commit assault and that Franklin attempted to create fear of death or imminent death Bodily injury incites the victim by obstructing normal breathing or circulation by putting pressure on the throat or neck or by blocking the nose and mouth.

The case was postponed until Franklin was found fit to stand trial. Franklin was credited with 358 days served in BCDC since his arrest. He was immediately placed in the custody of the sheriff for transportation to Sioux Falls.

Linehan is the one Register Editor-in-chief and welcomes comments below [email protected].