UPDATE: Former Sioux Falls Fire Chief Jim Sideras who admitted possessing child pornography has agreed to surrender his nursing license.

The 59-year-old Sideras agreed to waive a disciplinary hearing by the South Dakota Board of Nursing and the board voted 6-0 this month to accept the surrender of his license.

It means Sideras will no longer be able to work as a nurse in South Dakota and likely in other states. He has a master's degree in nursing from South Dakota State University.

Sideras last November pleaded guilty to possessing child porn in a deal with prosecutors. He faces up to 10 years in prison when he's sentenced February 28.


Former Sioux Falls Fire Rescue Chief Jim Sideras has pleaded guilty to one count of child pornography possession. According to KSFY TV the plea was agreed upon with prosecutors Monday morning.

As part of the plea agreement prosecutors dropped nine of the ten child porn charges Sideras was facing. Sideras originally pleaded not guilty to all ten charges.

KSFY TV reports that the charge Sideras pleaded guilty to comes with a maximum sentence of up to ten years in prison.

It was in April of 2017 that Sideras announced his retirement as Sioux Falls Fire Rescue Chief where he had been a firefighter for almost 34 years. Not long after the announcement then Mayor of Sioux Falls Mike Huether issued a statement that Sideras had been terminated.

On May 2, 2017 the Division of Criminal Investigation and Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office had followed through on a search warrant of the Sideras home on South Magnolia Avenue. Approximately a week later he was facing pornography charges.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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