State v. Swalve

SABERS, Justice.

[¶ 1.] Lance Swalve (Swalve) operated two auto dealerships in South Dakota. Swalve was charged and convicted of numerous counts of grand theft and failure to deliver title. Swalve appeals and we affirm.

Facts

[¶ 2.] Swalve operated two auto dealerships in Watertown and Arlington: Kneips of Watertown and Kneips GMC. When purchasing vehicles from these businesses, customers would commonly trade-in vehicles that had outstanding liens on them and would also purchase extended warranties, also referred to as “service contracts,” on the “new” vehicles. It was then the dealerships’…