Family relative to Rapid City man: ‘You are a repeat offender of the worst kind’

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KEVN) - A Rapid City man accused of raping changed his plea and was sentenced on Monday in Pennington County.

Gerald McFarland, 51, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to first-degree rape. That plea comes after a further study into his mental health was done by Rapid City psychiatrist Dr. Stephen Manlove, who testified at the Seventh Circuit Court hearing.

Judge Joshua Hendrickson sentenced McFarland to 30 years in prison, with 10 years suspended. This means that at any time during his eligible parole, if he were to break the rules of his parole, he would serve the suspended 10 years.

During the hearing, the state brought up two family members of McFarland.

“We resent you for this,” one of his relatives said. “Nobody in this courtroom will understand what I and many others went through because of you.”

“You were good to lie and threatened these little girls to not tell anyone about what you were doing and tricked them into thinking it was alright,” expressed another McFarland relative. “You are a repeat offender of the worst kind.”

The state recommended a minimum of 15 years, with the defendant asking for a 15-year sentence, but Hendrickson opted for more.

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