Clemency Recipient Charged Again
Clemency Recipient Mark Milk Charged in Niece McKenna Wendel's Death, Tied to Drugs and Sex Crimes
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Prosecutors’ filings outline drug-related charges with more specific language than just “drug-related offense”: U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Iowa said Milk faces counts tied to cocaine distribution/possession with intent to deliver that prosecutors say contributed to Wendel’s death, along with the cross-state transportation count for criminal sexual activity. Reported counts vary by outlet (five vs. six) but the drug charge theory is described as involving cocaine and intent to distribute/deliver.
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At the announcement, FBI Omaha Field Office agent Gene Kowel said investigators are working with “Operation Not Forgotten,” which prioritizes cases involving violence against Indigenous women and children—framing the prosecution as part of that broader federal effort.
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The 2023 commutation is tied to a prior 1993 manslaughter case described in greater detail elsewhere: Milk had been serving for an October 1993 stabbing death of Shawn Peneaux, following altercations in the city of Winner, according to records.
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Wendel’s obituary included additional personal details beyond her “vibrant personality” and Rosebud Sioux Tribe roots—saying she “loved animals,” and that she especially enjoyed “the singing and the beautiful sounds of the drums,” with the family attending powwows often.
Mark Milk, whose life sentence was commuted by then-South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem in 2023, now faces federal charges in the death of his 14-year-old niece, McKenna Wendel, according to CBS News. A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Iowa indicted Milk on June 17, 2026, on five counts — including possession with intent to distribute cocaine resulting in death and transportation of a minor for criminal sexual activity.
Wendel was reported missing from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on March 13, 2026. She was last seen alive there on March 14. Her body was found five days later on March 19, in a rural area outside Brookings — about an hour north of Sioux Falls. A second man, Jon Rogness, 38, was also charged with conspiracy and acting as an accessory in an alleged cover-up, KORN News Radio reported.
Cocaine Charges and a Cross-State Crime Allegation
Federal prosecutors say Milk distributed cocaine in Iowa on or around March 14, 2026 — the last day Wendel was seen alive — and that this act directly caused her death, according to Mitchell Now. The drug distribution charge carries a mandatory minimum of 20 years in federal prison and a maximum of life if convicted. Prosecutors also allege Milk transported Wendel across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
U.S. Attorney Leif Olson said the charges represent the "most serious, readily provable" counts, explaining why the case is being tried in Iowa despite Wendel's body being found in South Dakota. Just three days before her body was discovered, on March 17, Milk was arrested in South Dakota for driving while impaired and eluding police, Mitchell Now reported.
Noem's 2023 Clemency Decision Under a New Spotlight
Milk had served roughly 29 years of a life-without-parole sentence for the 1993 stabbing death of Shawn Peneaux in Winner, South Dakota. He was 19 when he stabbed Peneaux multiple times in the chest, back, and face, according to South Dakota Searchlight. Noem commuted his sentence to 240 years in 2023 — which made him immediately eligible for parole under state law. He was one of only two life-term inmates to receive such a commutation from Noem.
Milk was granted parole in spring 2024. In a deeply painful twist, Mitchell Now reported that Wendel herself had spoken at the parole hearing in support of her uncle's release. Critics are now calling for a review of South Dakota's Board of Pardons and Paroles, pointing to what they call a failure in the vetting process for violent offenders seeking clemency.
FBI Ties Case to Missing Indigenous Women Crisis
FBI Special Agent in Charge Gene Kowel placed the case inside a broader federal effort called "Operation Not Forgotten," which focuses on violence against Indigenous women and children. "This is a horrific case," Kowel said. "There are no cases that we investigate that are more heart-wrenching and more tragic than the ones that involve children," according to CBS News.
Wendel was a member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and was raised by her grandparents, Ralph and Rose Wendel. Her obituary described a girl who loved animals, attended powwows regularly, and "especially enjoyed the singing and the beautiful sounds of the drums," as reported by KIMT. Advocates say the case underscores the urgency of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis across the Siouxland region.
Co-Defendant Rogness Also Had a Violent Past
Jon Rogness, the second man charged, was himself on parole at the time of the alleged crimes, according to News From The States. He had served 16 years of a 45-year manslaughter sentence before his release. Rogness faces two federal counts: conspiracy to conceal objects and acting as an accessory after the fact. Prosecutors say he helped cover up the crimes after the fact.
Both men are scheduled to appear at the federal courthouse in Sioux City, Iowa. If Milk is convicted on the drug distribution count alone, he faces a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of life in federal prison, KORN News Radio reported. The case is being handled as a multi-jurisdictional federal investigation, with both Iowa and South Dakota authorities involved.
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