SOUTH DAKOTA(DRGNews)- U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland met with leaders of federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement agencies during a stop Wednesday in South Dakota. Garland says the most powerful tool we have to address violent crime is these types of partnerships.

On Monday, United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota Alison Ramsdell released results of a sex-trafficking sting, conducted during the 2024 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Garland says seven arrests were made from Aug. 2-8, 2024.

Law enforcement agencies taking part in the sex-trafficking sting were the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Ellsworth AFB Office of Special Investigations, the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office and the Rapid City Police Department.

Garland says partnerships with Tribal law enforcement agencies have been key to addressing the longstanding crisis of missing or murdered indigenous persons.

Garland says the inter-agency partnerships are getting results.

In addition to working to confront violent crime and gun violence, Garland says his office partners with all levels of law enforcement to stop the flow of fentanyl into our communities.

Garland ended his trip to South Dakota with a stop at the Yankton Sioux Tribe headquarters in Wagner to participate in a roundtable discussion with Tribal leaders and Senator Mike Rounds.