Lara Rochelle Roetzel now interim Pennington County state’s attorney

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Lara Rochelle Roetzel was sworn into office as the interim Pennington County State’s Attorney due to the appointment of Mark Vargo as the interim South Dakota attorney general.

“I am humbled and excited to be able to serve my community in this role in Mr. Vargo’s absence,” Roetzel said. “Pennington County should expect strong advocacy and committed prosecution under my watch.”

Roetzel, who has served as a prosecuting attorney for most of her 26-year legal career, was sworn into office Tuesday morning by Presiding Judge Craig Pfeifle. Since 2009, she has acted as chief criminal deputy state’s attorney for Pennington County. Her cases include hundreds of homicides, sexual assaults and other high-profile crimes.

Roetzel graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1993 and Creighton School of Law in 1996. She was chosen as the South Dakota Prosecutor of the Year in 2017.

Roetzel is the wife of Scott Roetzel, the mother of five, and a lifetime resident of Rapid City.