As is typical in the transition period in presidential administrations, the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota is to be led by the newly appointed interim Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official, Dennis R. Holmes – incumbent First Assistant United States Attorney and Chief of the Criminal Division. Serving for the past four decades in the Office, Dennis Holmes will replace the outgoing U.S. Attorney Ronald A. Parsons, Jr., who has stepped down following the announcement made by Acting U.S. Attorney General Monty Wilkinson last February 9, 2021. Parsons was named in the list of 55 remaining presidentially-appointed U.S. Attorneys who have been requested to vacate their posts and resign by February 28, 2021, in order to allow the Biden Administration to put forth nominations for Top Federal Prosecutors across the United States. Pursuant to the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, Dennis R. Holmes will take over as Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota effective for a maximum of 300 days, or until President-elect Joe Biden has named a new U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota, who shall then be confirmed by the Senate.
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Appointment
Dennis R. Holmes has taken over as the interim Top Federal Prosecutor for the District of South Dakota, following the planned resignation of the U.S. Attorney appointed by former President Donald Trump. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Holmes will temporarily replace the outgoing U.S. Attorney Ronald A. Parsons, Jr., who has stepped down at the request of President-elect Joe Biden, and as is expected in the transition process between administrations. On behalf of the Department of Justice, Acting U.S. Attorney General Robert M. “Monty” Wilkinson has extended the request to the 55 remaining presidentially-appointed U.S. Attorneys in an all-U.S. Attorney call last February 9, 2021. Departing U.S. Attorney Parsons tendered his letter of resignation shortly after. By virtue of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, Dennis R. Holmes will step in as the Acting United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota, beginning March 1, 2021. He will continue to serve in the capacity for up to 300 days, or until a permanent replacement has been nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, respectively.
Educational Background and Bar Admission
A native of Custer, South Dakota, U.S. Attorney Dennis Holmes earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Chadron State College in Nebraska in 1976. Pursuing a legal career, U.S. Attorney Holmes attended the University of South Dakota and received his Juris Doctorate in 1979. He was then granted admission into the State Bar of South Dakota the same year as his graduation from law school.
Legal Career
Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes is a very experienced and exceptionally skilled lawyer who has been practicing law in Sioux Falls, SD, for the past four decades. Throughout his legal career, U.S. Attorney Holmes served under government service and worked with the Justice Department. Before joining the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota, Dennis Holmes performed duties in the Office of the Attorney General for South Dakota for nine years, from 1979 to 1988. In this capacity, he held several leadership roles, including being Chief of the Litigation Division – managing cases in defense of state officials, agencies, and individual government employees within the district. Acting U.S. Attorney Holmes was also once named as the Deputy Attorney General and later Chief Deputy Attorney General in the Office of the Attorney General for South Dakota.
Launching his tenure in the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota in 1988, U.S. Attorney Dennis Holmes was initially appointed as Assistant U.S. Attorney and has dedicated over three decades of invaluable service to the Office of the United States Attorney since then. He has been given the responsibility to head several units in the Office, including being an Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council Coordinator, a Crisis Management Coordinator, a National Security Cyber Specialist, and an Organized Crime Coordinator. In addition, U.S. Attorney Holmes was made Chief of the Criminal Division in 2002 and was later appointed as First Assistant United States Attorney to former U.S. Attorney Ronald A. Parsons, Jr.
Honors and Awards
With over 42 years of experience in Litigation and Trial, Acting U.S. Attorney Dennis Holmes has demonstrated efficient and effective prosecution and managerial skills. He was once presented the Director’s Award for Superior Performance as an Assistant United States Attorney; a National and a Regional Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces Awards for Outstanding Achievement; and the Midwest High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program Prosecutor Award for Outstanding Drug Interdiction Efforts. Moreover, U.S. Attorney Holmes has been honored by several law enforcement agencies, such as the Environment Natural Resources Division presenting him with the Outstanding Performance Award; and the Environmental Protection Agency, which has bestowed the Bronze Medal Award to Holmes.
Areas of Practice
A long-serving and proficient federal prosecutor in South Dakota, Acting U.S. Attorney Dennis Holmes offers the depth and breadth of experience. He is able to successfully manage and handle cases in several practice areas, particularly in Antitrust and Trade Regulation; Civil Practice; Criminal Law and Defense; Criminal Litigation and Sentencing; Commercial Law; Debtor and Creditor litigation; DUI and DWI Law; Elder Law; Healthcare Fraud and Malpractice; Labor and Employment; Municipal Law; Punishment and Misdemeanor; Taxation; and White-Collar Crime.
Office Jurisdiction
In his third term as interim Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official for the District of South Dakota, Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes is well-acquainted with the duties as Top Federal Prosecutor for the District. Currently, he manages and oversees a staff of 60 employees, consisting of approximately 30 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 30 support personnel, who are delegated among the four Branch Offices in Aberdeen, Pierre, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls. In this capacity, United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes serves as one of the nation’s principal litigators, responsible for leading the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota in conducting trial work, prosecuting criminal cases, handling the prosecution and defense of civil cases, and collecting debts owed to the Federal government, to serve the interest of the United States and to act on behalf of the Federal government in cases in which the United States is a party.
Contact Details
Full Name: Dennis R. Holmes
District/State: South Dakota
Public email ID: dennis.holmes@usdoj.gov
Pierre Branch Office
U.S. Attorney’s Office
PO Box 7240
Pierre, SD 57501
(605) 224-5402
Main
(605) 224-4573
TTY
Rapid City
U.S. Attorney’s Office
201 Federal Building
515 Ninth St. Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 342-7822
Main
(605) 341-6064
TTY
Sioux Falls Branch Office
U.S. Attorney’s Office
PO Box 2638
Sioux Falls, SD 57101-2638
(605) 330-4400
Main
(605) 330-4403
TTY
Aberdeen Branch Office
(605) 226-7264
Main
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Updated: July 5, 2021