BROOKINGS (9-26-26) — A 52-year-old man with a multi-state criminal record is sentenced to 10 years in the state penitentiary following a burglary at a jewelry store that netted $78 thousands in diamond rings.
Larry Lewis Black was sentenced on September 22 by Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Abigail Howard. Black pleaded guilty on July 14 to third-degree burglary, grand theft and intentional damage to property.
The case stems from an early morning, March 3 break-in at Riddle’s Jewelry in Brookings. Upon arrival, Brookings police found the front glass door shattered, a display case smashed open and empty display stands that should have housed multiple wedding rings.
Investigators recovered a blood smear. Surveillance footage showed a suspect arriving at and fleeing the scene on a bicycle along 12th Street South through the Normandy Village Trailer Court. On April 14, the state crime lab identified DNA from the blood sample as matching Black, who was living in Normandy Village. Brookings police secured a search warrant and arrested Black on April 15.
In a written statement following sentencing, Brookings County State’s Attorney Dan Nelson said: “Mr. Black has spent the last three decades engaging in violence and theft all-across the country. His latest stop was here in Brookings but due the diligence of law enforcement he was caught and will now serve the next 10 years in prison. The plea negotiations we conducted resulted in the recovery of all the stolen merchandise.”
According to prosecutors, Black’s criminal history spans multiple jurisdictions, including prior convictions in Illinois and Minnehaha County, South Dakota.
Under the terms of Judge Howard’s order, Black received consecutive sentences for all three counts — five years for Burglary in the Third Degree, with 3 years suspended; 10 years for Grand Theft, with four years suspended; five years for Intentional Damage to Property, with three years suspended. In total, Black will serve 10 years in prison.
— Brookings Radio News
