WHITE RIVER, SD — Just days before the midterm elections, a Republican candidate for South Dakota State Senate in next week’s election has been accused of child abuse. Joel M. Koskan was charged Thursday with multiple sexual acts against his adopted daughter. Koskan’s challenger in the state senator race in District 26 is current state representative Shawn Bordeaux, an enrolled Rosebud Sioux. South Dakota Assistant Attorney General Maddy Miller filed charges of rape, sexual intercourse with a child under the age of sixteen and aggravated incest on a child against Koskan on Thursday. According to court documents obtained by Native News Online on Thursday, the crimes began in 2014 when the adopted child was placed in the home at age 12. The victim was interviewed by law enforcement earlier this year and stated that she was adopted by Joel and Sally Koskan 10 years ago. When she realized what was inappropriately touching while attending a summer youth camp in the Black Hills, she told camp counselors that her adopted father, Joel, was sexually interested in her and wanted to be sexually intimate with her. Because of the uncertainty of the foster care system in South Dakota, she shared with investigators that when the camp notified the South Dakota Department of Social Services it refused to release more information. Summer camp kept her in the Black Hills for two additional weeks. She told investigators that when she returned home, her parents were upset with her and accused her of trying to break up the family. She said that her father’s touching stopped for a year or two and that her mother, Sally, began to monitor Joel’s interactions more closely. Upon her return from the camp, a camera was installed in her home, giving her father the ability to constantly monitor her live from his cell phone. She later expressed to her parents that a camera placed in her room made her feel very uncomfortable, only to be told that her requests were “disrespectful”. The story continues In her statement to the police, she stated that her stepfather strictly monitored her actions and what she wore, including whether or not she could wear a bra. Furthermore, as a teenager, he made her wander around him wearing only a nightgown with no clothes underneath. It wasn’t until she was 17 that she showed Joel penetrated her vagina with his fingers, which eventually led to intercourse multiple times at the family’s separate homes in Mellette County and Watertown, South Dakota. According to court documents, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children investigator Shane Hardie conducted an examination of the victim’s mobile device, which he said included an app that tracked her live location and daily activity. Investigators confirmed that several text messages were noted referring to GPS tracking of her phone and video surveillance of her daily activities. Investigators also said in the complaint that on May 6, 2022, a text message from Joel said, “you promised you would never do this” and “I’m begging you, you don’t want to.” Koskan was issued a summons today and court records show he has been taken into custody. A preliminary hearing was set in a Mellette County courtroom for Nov. 7. If convicted of the charges, he faces up to 15 years in prison and fines of up to $20,000. “These allegations about Joel Koskan are deeply troubling and he should immediately end his campaign,” SD Republican Party Chairman Randy Seiler said in a statement Thursday. “While it will still appear on the ballot, the choice for District 26 voters could not be clearer. Party politics aside, Joel Koskan should not be voting in the Legislature on issues that affect South Dakota’s children — or on any issues at all.” There are numerous reports that the victim is enrolled in a South Dakota tribe, but due to the confidentiality and sensitive nature of crimes involving a minor at the time of the crimes, Native News Online cannot confirm whether the victim is enrolled in a local breed. EDITOR’S NOTE: In cases of alleged sex crimes, Native News Online works to protect the identity and privacy of any alleged victims and/or witnesses in our reporting. Due to this policy, certain identifying details have been intentionally omitted from this story. About the Author: “Darren Thompson (Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe) is a staff reporter based in the Twin Cities, Minnesota, for Native News Online. , Indian Country Today, Native News Online, Powwows.com and Unicorn Riot. He has contributed to New York Times, Washington Post, and Voice of America on various Indigenous issues in the international conversation.He holds a BA in Criminology & Legal Studies from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Contact: [email protected]
