Rob Cool Reportedly Raided in Sioux Falls as Neighbors Describe Heavy Law-Enforcement Operation

Rob Cool Reportedly Raided in Sioux Falls as Neighbors Describe Heavy Law-Enforcement Operation

By Jason Karimi | WeedPress

April 2 2026

Something big went down Monday night on East 20th street in Sioux Falls. WeedPress has reached out to Sioux Falls Police and other relevant agencies for comment and will update if records are released.

According to a nearby eyewitness who says he watched the scene unfold from a neighboring house, law enforcement hit the home of a well-known local vape figure in a heavy operation that looked anything but routine. The witness says officers forced entry, broke into safes, questioned the target about surveillance cameras, and removed two people from the property in separate police vehicles.

As of now, though, the public record is still behind the street talk.

WeedPress has not located a public press release, charging document, or mainstream local news report confirming the full scope of what allegedly happened there Monday night. That matters, because rumor in Sioux Falls moves faster than paperwork. And the City of Sioux Falls itself warns that its police call information is only for informational purposes and does not mean a person is guilty or even charged with a crime. 

Still, the eyewitness account paints a dramatic picture.

According to the source, officers used a battering ram on the door and axes on safes inside the house. The same witness says police also asked why there were so many cameras on the property. The witness further described a broader pattern of chaos around the location in recent months, including alleged backyard changes, alleged unpermitted construction, and alleged business activity being run out of a garage despite city objections. WeedPress has not independently verified those zoning, permit, or code-enforcement claims.

The name circulating is Rob Cool, a publicly known Sioux Falls vape-shop owner. Dakota News Now previously identified “owner Rob Cool” in coverage involving Eastside Smoke Shop and Vape Pen Sales, and public business listings tie Vape Pen Sales to Sioux Falls as an established local smoke-and-vape business. 

That is where the confirmed public record ends.

What neighbors are saying goes much further: that the raid involved major quantities of narcotics, marijuana, and rifles, and that federal involvement may be coming next. But until there is a court filing, booking entry, search-warrant return, or agency statement, those claims remain exactly that — claims.

And that distinction is the line between reporting and reckless gossip.

If official documents surface, this story could turn into one of the most explosive Sioux Falls vice stories in recent memory: a public-facing vape businessman, a residential property under scrutiny, and a raid dramatic enough that neighbors were lighting up houses to help officers search the area. But at this stage, the cleanest truthful statement is narrower: a neighbor says a major law-enforcement action happened, and the rest is waiting on paper.

That paper should be obtainable. Sioux Falls police direct the public to request reports and records through their records process, which is where the real story will likely emerge if charges were filed or agencies decide to speak. 

Until then, Sioux Falls has another rumor-heavy, document-light scandal on its hands.

Editor’s note: This report relies in part on a neighbor eyewitness account. WeedPress has not independently verified all alleged details and will update this story if official records become public.

Robert Michael Cool was listed as booked in Minnehaha County on March 30, 2026 at 8:26 PM. The public booking page lists a reported charge of “STATE CHARGES 22-42-2(F4) Distribution / Manufacture of Controlled Drug” and a $25,000 bond. The page also says it reflects an arrest only and does not imply guilt. 

WeedPress has requested comment from Sioux Falls officials and is seeking the underlying court paperwork.

WeedPress has not yet obtained a public charging document. South Dakota court records are accessed through the Unified Judicial System’s PARS search system, and open records can also be viewed from public-access terminals at the Minnehaha County Courthouse.

If you want the actual filing fastest, your best path is:

run a PARS search for Robert Michael Cool, then call or visit the Minnehaha County Clerk of Courts for the underlying complaint, affidavit, or probable-cause filing.  

____

Previously Keloland featured a comment from Rob Cool:

https://www.keloland.com/news/healthbeat/e-cigs-helping-or-hurting/

Statement from Rob Cool, Owner of Yocan USA in Sioux Falls:

To begin I think it is helpful to explain who we are. We started as an online vape retailer back in 2013. We quickly moved into nationwide distribution and wholesale of vape and smoke shop products. In the last year we have opened up to local retail because people kept calling asking if they could visit our shop (which was actually a warehouse). I mention this because I think it makes us pretty uniquely positioned to speak on the issues you are looking at. While South Dakota has not implemented a flavor ban or vaping tax we serve vape shops in states where those things have occurred. 

Our average customer is over 30 and looking to quit smoking. 96% of our customers choose a flavor other than tobacco or mint/menthol to help them quit smoking. The vast majority of our customers who use an e-cig to quit smoking use a ‘flavored’ vape product.

In states with significant vaping taxes, like Vermont (92% vaping tax), what we have seen is a significant slowdown in vaping adoption. Vaping is normally about 80% cheaper than smoking. Adding significant taxes reduces or negates the cost advantage. While they may not push people back to smoking, vaping taxes do significantly slow down the adoption rate at which people move from smoking to vaping. 

Flavor bans on the other hand are another matter. In markets with flavor bans we have seen fairly catastrophic results. Vape sales drop significantly and shops close. It is difficult to get hard data but anecdotal feedback from our wholesale customers indicates many of their customers gave up on vaping when they did not have access to flavors they found attractive. People stop attempting to make the switch, and those that have made the switch already often move to out of state online suppliers in order to continue to receive the flavors they enjoy. 

The FDA has proposed (March 13, 2019 statement from Scott Gottlieb) that flavored e-cig products be sold only in adult-only settings, like vape shops, and we fully support that. We strongly believe this is an effective method to combat any temptation flavored products might present to kids while still allowing adult smokers reasonable access to the single most successful smoking cessation device in history. 

While vaping research in the US is often partisan and paid for by groups with specific agendas the UK’s NHS has done a significant amount of independent vaping research. Their studies indicate that while people trying nicotine gum have less than a 9% success rate in stopping smoking, e-cig users enjoy an almost 80% success rate.  The UK’s NHS also estimates e-cigs are 95% safer than smoking. 

Taxes on cigarettes are meant to offset increased healthcare costs and discourage harmful behavior. Applying the same taxes to products that successfully reduce that harm seems counterproductive. Most news stories seem to talk about e-cigs not being 100% safe. We agree. Vaping is about harm reduction, not the total elimination of harm. If someone can simply quit smoking we encourage it. If someone doesn’t smoke we don’t encourage them to start vaping as a fun hobby. For those who can’t stop smoking on their own, e-cigs provide a realistic path to a less harmful lifestyle. Flavors are an important element in helping many adults stop smoking and reduce the harm presented by carcinogens present in cigarette smoke.