District of South Dakota

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rosebud man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on January 7, 2013, by United States District Judge Roberto A. Lange. Vinney Farmer, age 25, was sentenced to 33 months in custody, 2 years of supervised release, $2,691.66 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.

The conviction stems from an incident that took place on February 21, 2012, when Farmer picked up the victim, a child, up under her armpits, brought her up to his eye level, and threw her straight down to the floor. The victim suffered two broken femurs.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Marie H. Ruettgers.

Farmer was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal.

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Mobridge woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess With Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance was sentenced on January 4, 2013, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann. Amber Long Chase, age 32, was sentenced to 105 months in custody, 6 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Long Chase was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2012. She pled guilty to one count of a superseding information in September 2012.

The conviction stems from Long Chase knowingly and intentionally conspiring to distribute and possess a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, in 2011.
This case was investigated by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.

Long Chase was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Batesland man convicted of Assault on a Federal Officer was sentenced on December 11, 2012, by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken. William Morrisette, age 23, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day of imprisonment and 2 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $100 to the Victim Assistance Fund.

In January 2012, during a traffic stop near Pine Ridge, Morrisette threw cocaine in the face of a tribal police officer who had pulled him over. Morrisette pled guilty on June 19, 2012.

This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rapid City man convicted of Assault on a Federal Officer was sentenced on January 3, 2013, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy. Cody Gallagher, age 25, was sentenced to 2 years’ probation with 4 months in home confinement and ordered to pay $25 to the victims’ assistance fund.

In July 2012, at Horsethief Lake Campground, Gallagher assaulted a park ranger who was attempting to make Gallagher vacate the area. He pleaded guilty on October 10, 2012.

This case was investigated by the Pennington County Sheriff's Office and the National park Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Pine Ridge woman convicted of Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding was sentenced on January 3, 2013, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy. Matilda Iron Teeth, a/k/a Matilda Red Shirt, a/k/a Tilly, age 55, was sentenced to 6 months’ imprisonment and ordered to pay $10 to the victims’ assistance fund.

In February 2012, Iron Teeth assaulted a man during an argument. She pled guilty on October 11, 2012.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Kelderman prosecuted the case.

Iron Teeth was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a McLaughlin man charged with Assault With a Dangerous Weapon was sentenced on January 4, 2013, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann. Rodney Lyman Reeds, age 44, was sentenced to 41 months in custody, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Reeds was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2012. On October 1, 2012, he pled guilty to Count II of the Indictment charging Assault With a Dangerous Weapon.

The conviction stems from an incident in McLaughlin where Reeds used a knife to assault the victim. As a result of the assault, the victim sustained a puncture wound to his neck which required stitches.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Morley prosecuted the case.

Reeds was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a McLaughlin man charged with Assault With a Dangerous Weapon was sentenced on January 3, 2013, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann. Roland Joseph Thundershield, age 39, was sentenced to 37 months in custody, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

Thundershield was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2012. He pled guilty to the indictment in October 2012. The conviction stems from an incident in January 2011 when Thundershield assaulted the victim with a box cutter.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Morley.

Thundershield was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Jody Charles Red Bird, age 33, of McLaughlin, appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on January 2, 2013, and pled guilty to an indictment that charged him with Involuntary Manslaughter. The maximum penalty upon conviction is
8 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, and a period of supervised release of 3 years.

The conviction stems from an incident on June 12, 2012, when Red Bird and others were drinking alcohol in Timber Lake, while waiting for work to be done on a vehicle. Following completion of the maintenance, Red Bird and others traveled from Timber Lake to Little Eagle, and eventually decided to drive to McLaughlin. Red Bird was driving the vehicle, and while en route to McLaughlin, he lost control of the vehicle and slid into the ditch abutting the opposing lane of traffic. The vehicle rolled several times, and both Red Bird and the victim were ejected. As a result of the injuries sustained in the accident, the victim died. At the time of the accident, Red Bird had a blood alcohol concentration over three times the legal limit.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Morley.

A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date was set for April 15, 2013. Red Bird was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal pending sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Jess Porras, age 52, of McLaughlin, appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on January 2, 2013, and pled guilty to Count I of an Indictment that charged him with being a Felon In Possession of a Firearm. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine or both, and a period of supervised release of 3 years.

The conviction stems from an incident on December 29, 2011, when the Defendant, while acting as a guide on a deer hunt on tribal land, grabbed a gun from a hunter and shot a deer. The Defendant was previously prosecuted in 1994 and is a convicted felon.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Morley.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for April 29, 2013. The defendant was released on bond pending sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Willard Paul Farrell, III, age 25, of Bullhead, appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on January 2, 2013, and pled guilty to one count of an indictment that charged him with Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender, resulting in substantial bodily injury. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, and a period of supervised release of 3 years.

The conviction stems from an incident on January 15, 2011, when the victim was walking in McLaughlin. Farrell ran up to her, unprovoked, and assaulted her on a public street. Over the course of the assault, Farrell hit, shoved, and kneed the victim in the face, resulting in the victim receiving numerous scrapes and bruises, along with a fractured cheekbone. At the time of the incident, the victim had a restraining order in place preventing Farrell from having contact with, or harassing her.

Farrell has been found guilty on two or more separate prior occasions for offenses that would have been, if subject to federal jurisdiction, an assault against a spouse and intimate partner.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Morley.

A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date was set for April 29, 2013. Farrell was remanded to the U.S. Marshal's Service pending sentencing.

US Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that the US Attorney’s Office in South Dakota collected over $6.3 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 from civil and criminal actions.  That amount reflects an increase of more than $2 million over FY 2011 collections.

Of the $6.3 million, over $5.8 million was recovered through criminal fines, restitution, and other assessments and penalties.  Civil recoveries accounted for the other $503,289. 

Nationwide, the U.S. Attorneys’ offices collected $13.1 billion in criminal and civil actions during FY 2012, more than doubling the $6.5 billion collected in FY 2011.   The $13.1 billion represents more than six times the appropriated budget of the combined 94 offices for FY 2012.

“These collections become increasingly important in these times of fiscal uncertainty,” said Johnson. “I am grateful to our dedicated team of professionals who work tirelessly in their efforts to recover money for victims of federal crime and to safeguard the American public’s money.”

The majority of the money collected by the US Attorney’s Office is returned directly to the United States Treasury.  However, restitution collected in criminal cases goes directly to compensate victims for their losses.  Criminal fines and felony assessments are paid into the Department of Justice’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.