District of South Dakota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Pierre Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Pierre, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 30, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
James Dubray, age 20, was sentenced to three years and one month in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Dubray was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on September 27, 2023.
On September 5, 2022, Dubray was inside a vehicle when it was legally stopped by law enforcement. During the stop, Dubray fled from law enforcement. He was eventually located near an apartment complex and placed under arrest. During Dubray’s arrest, he knowingly had on his person a firearm magazine as well as methamphetamine. Additionally, law enforcement found a firearm approximately 10 yards from Dubray’s location, which Dubray has discarded while running from law enforcement. At the time, Dubray was an active unlawful user of methamphetamine while in possession of a firearm. Dubray had used methamphetamine earlier that same day and had been using methamphetamine daily well before he was arrested.
Dubray is prohibited from possessing firearms because he was addicted to a controlled substance at the time he possessed the firearm.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Dubray was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
Oglala Man Found Not Guilty of Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that an Oglala, South Dakota, man was acquitted of three counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse and Kidnapping following a federal jury trial in Rapid City, South Dakota, on February 9, 2024.
Drace Dreaming Bear, age 21, was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023.
The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe – Department of Public Safety. The U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the case.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 25 Years in South Dakota Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Minneapolis, Minnesota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on December 19, 2023.
Maureo Lemar Murdock, 30, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Murdock was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on August 23, 2023.
Murdock obtained methamphetamine from co-conspirators in California and then distributed that methamphetamine to customers in South Dakota. He was personally involved in the distribution of at least 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Sioux Falls Police Department, and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Murdock was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Centerville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Centerville, South Dakota, man, convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on February 9, 2024, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Robert W. Blakey, age 57, was sentenced to one year and nine months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was ordered to pay $100 as a statutorily required special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Blakey was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person on November 28, 2023.
On January 26, 2023, law enforcement was dispatched to a location in Centerville for a report of shots fired. While officers were speaking with Blakey on scene, they noticed a leather holster on Blakey’s left hip which contained a revolver that was loaded with four bullets.
Then, on May 23, 2023, law enforcement was dispatched to a 911 call reporting a male subject brandished gun near the Cockatoo bar in Yankton, South Dakota. Officers located the male and identified him as Blakey. Blakey had in his possession revolver loaded with five live rounds of ammo and one in the chamber.
Blakey is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition because he has eight prior felony convictions.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Centerville Police Department, and the Yankton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Blakey was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to continue serving his sentence.
California Man and South Dakota Woman Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Mojave, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine. The sentencing took place on January 29, 2024.
Alfred Sarco, a/k/a “Rambo Red,” a/k/a “Red,” 44, was sentenced to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sarco was indicted, along with co-defendant Morningstar Kitto, for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. Sarco pleaded guilty on October 24, 2023. Kitto, of Rosholt, South Dakota, pleaded guilty on January 26, 2023, and was sentenced on January 30, 2023, to 10 years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
According to court documents, Sarco and Kitto conspired to sell methamphetamine, together they sold more than 2,275 grams (five pounds) of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement agent. Sarco also forfeited more than $9,500 in drug proceeds to the government.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
Sarco and Kitto were both remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
California Man Sentenced to over 18 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute 30 Pounds of MethRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Salinas, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on February 5, 2024.
Jose Rolando Gonzalez, 56, was sentenced to 18 years and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Gonzalez was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine by a federal grand jury in November of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 6, 2023.
Gonzalez was arrested on September 25, 2022, when he was traveling through South Dakota and was approached by a police officer at a gas station in Brookings regarding traffic complaints about his driving. The officer ran his onsite police dog around the vehicle and the dog gave a positive indication to the presence of drugs. Law enforcement performed a search of the vehicle which revealed approximately 13.39 kilograms (approximately 30 pounds) of methamphetamine. Gonzalez was traveling from California, where his methamphetamine source was located, to Minnesota, with the intention of distributing the methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Highway Patrol, Brookings Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Gonzalez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Vale Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Vale, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on February 5, 2024.
Timothy Scott White, 43, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for the Sexual Exploitation charge, 45 years in federal prison for the Attempted Enticement of a Minor charge, and 20 years in federal prison on the Receipt of Child Pornography charge, all to run concurrent. Additionally, White was sentenced to 10 years of supervised released, and order to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $28,000 in restitution. White will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
White was indicted for Production of Child Pornography by a Parent by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 3, 2023.
The convictions stem from White producing child pornography of his minor daughter between January of 2020 and December of 2021. Evidence showed White also distributed hundreds of images of child pornography of other victims, as well as received thousands of images and videos.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI, and the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
White was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
St. Francis Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on February 1, 2024.
Meteo Running Enemy, age 19, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Running Enemy was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 8, 2023.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in May of 2023 in St. Francis, wherein Running Enemy engaged in a sexual act with a minor who had attained the age of 12 years but had not attained the age of 16 years.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
Running Enemy was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. The sentencing took place on January 29, 2024.
Nathan James Thompson, 40, was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Thompson was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person (Felon) by a federal grand jury in February of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 6, 2023.
According to court documents, Thompson was a driving a vehicle in Sioux Falls on December 25, 2022, and was arrested following a traffic violation. Law enforcement found a firearm in Thompson’s pocket. Thompson had previously been convicted of a felony for Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, so was aware he was not allowed to possess firearms.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert prosecuted the case.
Thompson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 23 Years on Drug Conspiracy and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. The sentencing took place on February 7, 2024.
Sam Boyd, 35, was sentenced to 23 1/3 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Boyd was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine and Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a federal grand jury in February of 2022. He was convicted at a federal jury trial in November of 2023.
In the fall of 2020, Boyd began obtaining methamphetamine from a co-conspirator in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The methamphetamine was both mailed or transported to western South Dakota on multiple occasions by Boyd and his co-conspirators. Boyd then distributed the methamphetamine to others for use and to further distribute. Throughout the conspiracy, Boyd routinely possessed multiple firearms and ammunition, despite being prohibited from doing so due to a prior felony conviction.
This case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is a local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Boyd was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on February 5, 2024.
James W. Williams, 28, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Williams will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Williams was indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in May of 2021. He pleaded guilty on November 3, 2023.
Williams was federally indicted following a Cybertip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children in relation to suspected child pornography on Instagram. The Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce traced the account back to Williams and interviewed Williams. Williams ultimately admitted to receiving the child pornography via Instagram. A forensic examination of Williams’ phone revealed images and videos of child sexual abuse material that Williams received between November of 2019 and December of 2020.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Williams was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Receives 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on February 6, 2024.
Burton Dave Chief, Jr., 35, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Chief will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Chief was indicted for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 6, 2023.
Chief was arrested as a result of an undercover sex trafficking operation conducted during the 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, targeting internet predators. Following multiple chats and sexually explicit text messages with a person Chief believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover agent, Chief proceeded to negotiate a time and place he would meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Chief was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Parmelee Man Sentenced for Possession of Unregistered Firearm, Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person, and Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange has sentenced a Parmelee, South Dakota, man convicted following two separate jury trials of Possession of Unregistered Firearm, Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person, and Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencings took place on February 1, 2024.
Jeremy Duane Young, age 29, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $300.
Young was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023 on the firearm offenses and in April of 2023 on the assault offense.
The firearm conviction stemmed from an incident in May of 2022 in the Soldier Creek community within the Rosebud Reservation. Young, a previously convicted felon who was prohibited from possessing firearms, was found in possession of a short-barrel 12-gauge shotgun, which was found after Young came into contact with law enforcement following a traffic stop. The short shotgun was not registered to Young in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record as required by law. As part of the investigation, Young admitted to law enforcement that he and another individual were on their way to Sioux Falls on a drug run to pick up methamphetamine.
The assault conviction stemmed from an incident in March of 2023, in the Soldier Creek community within the Rosebud Reservation, when Young assaulted a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Officer. The officer had been called to the community over a concern of a running vehicle blocking the roadway, and determined Young was passed out in the driver’s seat. When the officer contacted Young to get out of the vehicle, Young refused to exit, became argumentative, combative, and engaged in a physical struggle with the officer. Young then punched the officer in the face and fled on foot. Young was located and arrested an hour later.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan N. Dilges and Brian Murphy prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Young was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
New York Man Sentenced for Failing to Pay Federal Payroll TaxesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Nanuet, New York, man convicted of Failure to Withhold, Properly Account For, and Pay Over Tax. The sentencing took place on February 7, 2024.
Asher Wagh, 48, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $273,766.98 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service.
Wagh was indicted on ten counts of Failure to Withhold, Properly Account For, and Pay Over Tax by a federal grand jury in February of 2021. He pleaded guilty on October 16, 2023.
Between 2015 and 2017, Wagh was a co-owner and the sole manager of Captech International LLC, an ammunition component manufacturing company located in Rapid City, South Dakota. As the sole manager, Wagh was responsible for withholding, accounting for, and paying over federal payroll taxes, including federal income tax, Social Security, and Medicare taxes. Between 2015 and 2017, Wagh withheld the payroll taxes from employees’ paychecks and then willingly failed to pay over the taxes to the Internal Revenue Service. Thereafter, Wagh used at least a portion of the withholdings for his own personal use. In total, Wagh failed to pay over to the IRS more than $273,000.00.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Wagh was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell on the Tragic Death of Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ken ProrokRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS – Alison J. Ramsdell, United States Attorney for the District of South Dakota, has issued the following statement on the death of Moody County Chief Deputy Sheriff Ken Prorok:
"It is with profound sadness that we mourn the tragic loss of Ken Prorok, Chief Deputy for the Moody County Sheriff’s Office, who died in the line of duty on February 2, 2024.
Chief Deputy Prorok was a devoted and proud family man. He was an enthusiastic role model and a pillar of his community. As an officer, Chief Deputy Prorok exhibited the highest levels of professionalism. He was firmly committed to the cause of justice and displayed unwavering dedication to the safety of the communities he was charged with protecting, even to his last breath. The men and women of the U.S. Department of Justice stand with the entire law enforcement community as we honor the life of Chief Deputy Ken Prorok and share in the sorrow of this tragic loss. Our thoughts are with Chief Deputy Prorok’s family, friends, colleagues, and community.”
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on January 30, 2024.
Robert Walter White, age 36, was sentenced to 12 months and a day in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
White was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 27, 2023.
The conviction stems from White failing to register as a sex offender as required by federal law between February 14, 2023, and April 19, 2023. White had previously been convicted of a sex offense in federal court which requires him to register for the rest of his life.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
White was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Failure to RegisterRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on January 22, 2024.
Eugene Featherman, age 35, was sentenced to 22 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Featherman was indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 23, 2023.
Featherman was previously convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota. As a result of this conviction, he is required to comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, which includes registering within three business days of any change in residence, employment, or student status. In November of 2022, Featherman relocated from Rapid City to Sioux Falls and properly registered with the Sioux Falls Police Department. Investigation revealed that beginning January 25, 2023, Featherman was no longer staying at his registered address. His whereabouts were unknown until April 27, 2023, when he was arrested in Rapid City.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Featherman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on January 30, 2024.
Cole Bogen Bettin, age 28, was sentenced to six years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Bettin will also need to register as a sex offender upon his release.
Bettin was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on September 27, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between March 5, 2023, and March 6, 2023, when Bettin, using his cellular phone to access the application Grindr, attempted to persuade an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old male to distribute child pornography to him.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the SD Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Bettin was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The sentencing took place on January 29, 2024.
Jonah Earl Severson, age 24, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Severson will be required to register as a sex offender once he is released from federal prison.
Severson was indicted by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 19, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between March 6, 2023, and March 15, 2023, when Severson, using his cellular phone to access the social media application MeetMe, attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old female to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Sioux Falls Police Department, Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the SD Internet Crimes Against Children task force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Severson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Oglala Man Sentenced on Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced an Oglala, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 25, 2024.
Bradley Two Eagle, 24, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, follow by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Two Eagle was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in September of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 23, 2023.
The conviction stems from Two Eagle, while being an unlawful user of a controlled substance, knowingly being in possession of a Taurus International 9 mm caliber semi-automatic handgun in Rapid City in June of 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Two Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Madison Man Sentenced for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Madison, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on January 30, 2024.
Treton Anderson, age 26, was sentenced to 15 years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Anderson will also need to register as a sex offender upon his release.
Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2022. He pleaded guilty on October 2, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between December 18, 2021, and June 29, 2022, when Anderson, using his cellular phone to access the internet, and using his Kik account, distributed digital files containing child pornography.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Madison Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Anderson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kyle Man Sentenced for Assault ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on January 25, 2024.
Marcus Pawnee Leggins, 35, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Pawnee Leggins was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 13, 2023.
The conviction stems from Pawnee Leggins beating a male in June of 2023 near Kyle. The assault resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Pawnee Leggins was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 6 1/2 Years for Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jonathan A. Kobes, sitting in district court in Rapid City, South Dakota, has sentenced a Rapid City man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 23, 2024.
Richard Neiss, 52, was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was also ordered to forfeit his interests in several firearms.
Neiss was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in October of 2022. He pleaded guilty on October 6, 2023.
On June 29, 2022, Neiss was driving a vehicle in Rapid City, when he was stopped by law enforcement. Neiss was the sole occupant. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of six firearms, which Neiss is not allowed to possess due to having a felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Neiss was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The sentencing took place on January 24, 2024.
Nathan David Hankins, 31, was sentenced to 24 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Ten years of Hankins’ federal custody time will run consecutively with previously imposed state and federal custody sentences. Hankins was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hankins was indicted for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He was convicted at a court trial on October 26, 2023.
The conviction stems from Hankins exploiting a 14-year-old female with whom he had a relationship in March of 2014. Hankins was 21 years old at the time.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Hankins was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 12 1/2 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl. The sentencing took place on January 25, 2024.
Ismael Hernandez, 30, was sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hernandez was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and two counts of Prohibited Person in Possession of a Firearm by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 6, 2023.
Starting around July of 2022, and continuing until June 6, 2024, Hernandez traveled to Colorado to obtain fentanyl. He then brought fentanyl back to South Dakota and sold it to other people. Overall, he was responsible for between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl. Also, during this time law enforcement recovered firearms from him on two separate occasions. Hernandez is prohibited from having firearms due to a previous felony conviction.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is a local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Hernandez was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 10 years for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jonathan A. Kobes, sitting in district court in Rapid City, South Dakota, has sentenced a Rapid City man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on January 24, 2024.
Ike Sowder, 41 was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sowder was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 6, 2023.
Beginning around June of 2022, Sowder became involved with co-conspirators in obtaining counterfeit fentanyl pills. Co-conspirators brought the fentanyl to western South Dakota and Sowder actively distributed the fentanyl to others for use and distribution. It was reasonably foreseeable to Sowder that between 400 grams and 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl would be distributed during the course of the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team, which is a local drug task force comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard.
Sowder was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on January 24, 2024.
Donald Shepersky, 68, was sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Shepersky will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Shepersky was indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography by a federal grand jury in August of 2022. He pleaded guilty on October 25, 2023.
Shepersky was federally indicted following a Cybertip from the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children in relation to an upload of child pornography to Kik. The Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce executed a search warrant on Shepersky’s residence and located multiple electronic devices. A forensic examination of those devices found hundreds of images of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Collins prosecuted the case.
Shepersky was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on January 24, 2024.
Vine Phillip Hayes, age 49, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Hayes was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2022. He pleaded guilty on November 9, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from Hayes’ role in the beating death of a man near Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in November of 2021. In the early morning hours of November 28, 2021, Hayes and co-defendants Lance Red Cloud and Michael Red Cloud drove the victim, an adult male, to a remote area outside of Pine Ridge. The defendants pulled the victim out of their vehicle and beat him. They then drove back to Pine Ridge, leaving the victim lying on the ground with severe injuries. The victim subsequently died from his injuries.
Lance Red Cloud pleaded guilty to Second Degree Murder, based on his role in the attack, and was sentenced on August 11, 2023, to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Michael Red Cloud pleaded guilty to Accessory to Second Degree Murder, based on his role in the attack, and was sentenced on December 11, 2023, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah B. Collins and Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
Hayes was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
New Underwood Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jonathan A. Kobes, sitting in district court in Rapid City, South Dakota, has sentenced a New Underwood, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography with a Prior Child Pornography Conviction. The sentencing took place on January 23, 2024.
Kent Joy, 48, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised. Joy was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and a $5,000 special assessment to the Victims of Trafficking Fund. Joy will be also required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Joy was indicted for Receipt of Child Pornography with a Prior Child Pornography Conviction and Possession of Child Pornography with a Prior Child Pornography Conviction by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 1, 2023.
The conviction stems from Joy, a person previously convicted for a child pornography offense, knowingly receiving child pornography between April 18, 2018, and September 19, 2022.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Joy was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Convicted of Commission of a Crime of Violence while Failing to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Louis Andrew Rabbitt, Jr., age 42, of Mission, South Dakota, of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer with a Dangerous Weapon, and Commission of a Crime of Violence while Failing to Register as a Sex Offender following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 25, 2024.
The charge of Commission of a Crime of Violence while Failing to Register as a Sex Offender carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in custody and a mandatory minimum of five years consecutive to any sentence for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and/or a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory minimum of five years up to life of supervised release. The charge of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer with a Dangerous Weapon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. The charge of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory minimum of five years up to life of supervised release. A $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund applies to each count, totaling $300.
Rabbitt was indicted by a federal grand jury in October and December of 2023.
According to evidence presented at trial, Rabbitt failed to update his sex offender registration after moving from his registered address in July of 2023. Rabbitt had continued to fail to update his sex offender registration when the U.S. Marshals Service arrived to arrest Rabbitt pursuant to an arrest warrant on September 20, 2023. In an effort to avoid arrest, Rabbitt threatened Deputy U.S. Marshals with a baseball bat before being apprehended.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service with the assistance of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne Venhuizen and Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for April 22, 2024. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Manderson Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Manderson, South Dakota, man convicted of Voluntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on January 23, 2024.
Sequoyah Mark West, Jr., 30, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
West was indicted for Second Degree Murder by a federal grand jury in June of 2023. He pleaded guilty to an amended charge of Voluntary Manslaughter on November 17, 2023. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
The conviction stems from West killing a man by beating and asphyxiation in April of 2023, at Manderson.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
West was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kyle Man Sentenced to over 22 Years in Federal Prison for Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
Rapid City - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Jonathan A. Kobes, sitting in district court in Rapid City, South Dakota, has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on January 24, 2024.
Lloyd S. Yankton Jr., 43, was sentenced to a total of 22 years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Judge Kobes imposed a 90-month sentence on each of the three counts and ordered the sentences to run consecutively.
Yankton was indicted for Kidnapping, Assault with Intent to Commit Murder, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 2, 2023.
The conviction stems from Yankton assaulting his significant other with a blow torch and a metal bar in July of 2023, which caused serious bodily injury. Yankton also beat the same woman in July of 2022 with a metal pole, which was a dangerous weapon.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Yankton was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 22, 2024.
Philip Lamar Nordvold, age 45, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Nordvold was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in April of 2023. He pleaded guilty on November 2, 2023.
In 2015, Nordvold was convicted in U.S. District Court for the District of South Dakota of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. Within three months prior to May 16, 2022, near Eagle Butte, Nordvold unlawfully possessed another firearm, a Heritage Manufacturing Incorporated brand revolver with an obliterated serial number.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Nordvold was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Nordvold was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
U.S. Attorney's Office Highlights January as National Human Trafficking Prevention MonthRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. To commemorate the month, U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell renewed the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment to bringing traffickers to justice, assisting trafficked victims, and enhancing public awareness through community outreach.
Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of a person for labor, services, or commercial sex, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion that is physical and/or psychological. The exploitation of a minor for commercial sex is human trafficking regardless of whether any form of force, fraud, or coercion is used by the trafficker.
“Human trafficking does not adhere to social or educational boundaries—it can happen to anyone,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell. “That’s why my office is committed to working alongside our partners in law enforcement to prevent human trafficking and to bring offenders to justice.”
To enhance awareness and educate the community about human trafficking, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has released a public service announcement, available here, about how to identify potential trafficking situations and where to report suspected trafficking activity.
Recent Human Trafficking Prosecutions
In the last year alone, the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s anti-trafficking efforts resulted in notable prosecutions that have led to federal charges, convictions, and prison sentences against individual traffickers:
United States v. Daniel Kubica: On March 23, 2023, Daniel Kubica, 39, of Chicago, Illinois, was charged with multiple federal offenses relating to sex trafficking of women in the Black Hills and elsewhere. Kubica is charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; benefitting from sex trafficking; and using a facility of interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise. Between August 31, 2022, and September 29, 2022, Kubica facilitated an illegal commercial sex operation, through which at least three females in the Black Hills area, and other women in the United States, engaged in commercial sexual activity through Kubica’s use of force, threats, and coercion. Kubica is currently scheduled for a federal jury trial on March 26, 2024.
United States v. Gordon Weston: On January 10, 2024, a federal jury in Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted Gordon Weston, 57, of Oglala, South Dakota, of Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Commercial Sex Trafficking. Weston was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2021. Weston was employed as the Activities Coordinator at the Emergency Youth Shelter in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, from 2009 to 2021. Weston commonly requested juvenile females who stayed at the shelter to be “friends” with him on Facebook after they had left the shelter. Weston contacted at least one juvenile female and offered her money and transportation in exchange for sexual encounters with him. Weston is awaiting sentencing.
United States v. John Ray Heath: In March of 2023, John Ray Heath, 52, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was indicted for using the internet to attempt to sexually exploit a minor. The charge related to Heath attempting to meet an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old female for sex. The individual was actually an undercover law enforcement officer engaged in proactive policing of sex offenders. During the investigation, the law enforcement officer discovered that Heath was sex trafficking a minor and sexually exploiting multiple other females in the Rapid City area. Heath was thereafter indicted for sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; sexual exploitation of a minor; enticement of a minor using the internet, and other federal sex offenses. Heath pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor and sexual exploitation of a minor and is scheduled for sentencing on March 1, 2024.
United States v. Odarie Massiah: On August 2, 2023, Odarie Massiah, 33, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was charged with Commercial Sex Trafficking of an adult female by force, threats of force, fraud and coercion between July 1, 2020, and August 8, 2022. The defendant is alleged to have benefited financially from the commercial sex acts in which he caused his adult victim to engage. He is scheduled for trial on February 20, 2024.
United States v. Richard Alan Kucera & Ivy Rose Heron: On November 1, 2023, Richard Alan Kucera, 65, and Ivy Rose Heron, 35, both of Winner, South Dakota, were charged with three counts of Sex Trafficking of Minors between April 3, 2019, and July 31, 2021. Kucera was also charged with three additional counts of Producing Child Pornography. Both defendants are scheduled for trial on March 19, 2024.
United States v. Sheyenne Rodriguez: On August 17, 2023, Sheyenne Rodriguez, 41, of Wakpala, South Dakota, was indicted for sex trafficking of a child and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. In March of 2021, Rodriguez is alleged to have recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, and provided a minor to engage in a commercial sex act in the District of South Dakota and elsewhere. Rodriguez is currently scheduled for a federal jury trial on June 4, 2024.
United States v. Zeng Quiang Yang: On May 3, 2022, Zeng Quiang Yang, 46, of Nesquehoning, Pennsylvania, was charged with Unlawful Employment of Aliens. He pleaded guilty to the charge. Between January of 2019 and May of 2020, Yang was the manager of a restaurant in Huron, South Dakota. During that time frame, Yang knowingly employed unauthorized aliens. On December 11, 2023, he was sentenced to one year of probation.
United States v. William Godoy: On December 6, 2022, a superseding indictment was filed, charging William Godoy, 33, of Guatemala, with Illegal Reentry After Deportation; two counts of Trafficking with Respect to Slavery; two counts of Harboring/Concealing Illegal Aliens; and two counts of Encouraging or Inducing an Alien to come to, enter, or reside in the US. Godoy is scheduled for trial on February 13, 2024.
Online Sex Trafficking Operations: In collaboration with several law enforcement partners, there were two joint online sex-trafficking operations in 2023, as part of Project Safe Childhood. The undercover sex trafficking operations target internet predators and illustrate proactive efforts by law enforcement to apprehend would-be exploiters. Via electronic devices and social apps, the perpetrators typically negotiate a time and place to meet the minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. When they arrive at the pre-determined location to meet the minor, they are instead met by law enforcement agents and placed under arrest.
The first operation ran from March 3, 2023, through March 8, 2023, and resulted in the arrest and indictment of six men from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. All six men were charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet. The second sting operation ran August 4, 2023, through August 10, 2023, during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. As a result of this operation, four Rapid City, South Dakota, men and one Box Elder, South Dakota, man were arrested. Four were charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and one was charged with Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
If you believe you are the victim of human trafficking or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or send a text to 233733. You can also submit a tip online, through the FBI Field Office at 1-800-CALL-FBI, or through your local law enforcement agency.
###
St. Francis Man Sentenced for Domestic AssaultRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender. The sentencing took place on January 22, 2024.
Edward Wilson, a/k/a Eddie Wilson, age 41, was sentenced to three years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wilson was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He was convicted of Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender on October 5, 2023, after a three-day jury trial.
On May 29, 2023, shortly after 8:00 am, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services responded to St. Francis after the victim called 911 reporting an assault. The victim reported to officers that Wilson had assaulted her the night prior, punching her in the face and kicking her in the body numerous times. The responding officers noticed marks on the victim’s face and body consistent with her statement. Wilson has previously been convicted of domestic assault on two separate occasions in U.S. District Court, District of South Dakota.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Wilson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on January 22, 2024.
Taryn Peter Ducheneaux, age 35, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
Ducheneaux was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. He pleaded guilty on December 22, 2023.
In the early morning hours of August 13, 2022, Ducheneaux and several other people were at a bonfire at a home in Eagle Butte. The victim parked his car across the street to pick up some clothing from a neighbor. Following some verbal sparring, an altercation broke out between the victim, Ducheneaux, and several others. During the fracas, Ducheneaux struck the victim on the head with a baseball bat. The victim incurred a serious brain injury during the fight.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Ducheneaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Two Men Convicted in Federal Court of Kidnapping an FBI Employee at GunpointRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal jury has convicted Juan Francisco Alvarez-Sorto, age 25, of El Salvador, and Deyvin Morales, age 29, of Guatemala, of the following offenses: Kidnapping; Carjacking; Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person; and Unlawful Reentry after Deportation. The jury returned its verdict on each count following a 6-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 23, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, on May 5, 2022, Alvarez, Morales, and Lopez traveled from Greeley, Colorado, into southwestern South Dakota for the purpose of trafficking and distributing controlled substances, including methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. During their trip, the defendants encountered law enforcement and engaged in a high-speed chase. The defendants eluded law enforcement at that time and hid in a remote area near Red Shirt, South Dakota.
Alvarez, Morales, and Lopez then decided to carjack the next vehicle to come along the area at which the defendants stopped on BIA Highway 41. At approximately 2:00am on May 6, 2022, a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Victim Specialist left an unrelated crime scene investigation near Oglala, South Dakota, and began traveling back towards his duty station in Rapid City. The FBI employee was driving his assigned FBI vehicle.
As the employee was heading North on BIA 41 near the Badlands overlook on Cuny Table, he passed a vehicle that was parked in the approach near the overlook. As he passed the parked vehicle, the parked vehicle’s lights turned on and the vehicle pulled out behind the employee. The employee, believing he was being pulled over by law enforcement, pulled his vehicle to the side of the road. After the employee pulled his vehicle over, he next realized there was a male at his window pointing a rifle at him and ordering him to get out of the vehicle. The employee realized that the male, identified as Alvarez, was not a law enforcement officer and also that the vehicle had blocked his own vehicle, preventing him from driving away.
Morales and Alvarez ordered the FBI employee out of the vehicle at gun point. The employee was ordered to get on the ground behind his vehicle while Alvarez was holding the rifle at the back of his head. The employee was ordered to keep his head down while on the ground. The group then robbed him of his wallet, money, credit cards, car keys, watch, and personal and work mobile phones.
The FBI employee was then ordered to get up and placed in the middle-rear seat of his government-issued vehicle, as the passenger side seat was blocked with items. While holding the rifle, Alvarez was seated in the front passenger seat of the employee’s vehicle and Morales, while armed with two handguns in his waistband, was seated in the rear driver’s side seat next to the employee. Lopez got into the driver’s seat of the employee’s vehicle. At this point, the defendants took control of the vehicle and took the employee hostage. As the group traveled North on BIA 41, they told the employee to cooperate and he would be safe, but if he did not, the group would come after his family and that they knew where he lived.
The group traveled to Hermosa, South Dakota, stopping at a gas station at the intersection of State Highway 40 and Highway 79. Once the group arrived at the gas station, Lopez went inside to purchase gas. As she got out of the vehicle to go inside the gas station, Alvarez locked the doors to the employee’s vehicle, and the doors remained locked while Lopez was out of the vehicle. Lopez then came back to the vehicle holding a gas can and zip ties. She entered the vehicle and conducted a U-turn and then went to a gas pump. The FBI employee noticed that after Lopez came back to the vehicle, Alvarez, who was brandishing the firearm, had the zip ties in his possession and was getting them out. As Lopez got out to pump gas, the doors to the vehicle were momentarily unlocked. Seizing the opportunity, the employee opened the rear driver’s side door, fought his way out of the vehicle, slipping out of his jacket to escape Morales' attempts to detain him, and sprinted inside the front doors of the gas station to escape.
The three defendants then fled from the gas station and drove to Rapid City, where they abandoned the FBI vehicle and switched to another vehicle. Alvarez and Morales were able to make it back to Greeley, Colorado, where they were ultimately arrested for their roles in the kidnapping and carjacking. During a search of the residence where Alvarez and Morales were arrested, law enforcement located firearms, including the rifle used during the kidnapping and carjacking, and controlled substances.
“Every day, men and women in the Department of Justice respond to incidents of violent crime in South Dakota,” said U.S. Attorney Alison Ramsdell. “This dedication to improving community safety often comes with great personal sacrifice, and as this case unfortunately demonstrates, on occasion, an extreme risk to personal safety. We are grateful to our partners at the FBI for their dogged commitment to this difficult work, and we hope these convictions send a clear message about the lengths the U.S. Attorney’s Office is willing to go to vindicate the rights of victims, no matter who they are.”
“The FBI will not tolerate violence and threats to harm its personnel,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “Thank you to our law enforcement partners and the USAO-SD for their hard work and unwavering dedication. This verdict stands as a testament to our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of every member of the FBI. Justice will be relentlessly pursued against those who seek to harm or intimidate any of our workforce.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the South Dakota DCI, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Greeley, Colorado, Police Department, and the Custer and Pennington County Sheriff’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jeremy R. Jehangiri and Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Alvarez, Morales, and co-defendant Karla Alejandra Lopez-Gutierrez were indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2022 and Alvarez and Morales were indicted again in December of 2023.
The charge of kidnapping carries any term of years up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine and 5 years of supervised release. The charge of carjacking carries 15 years of custody and/or a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release. The use, carry, and brandish a firearm charge carries a mandatory minimum of 7 years and up to life in custody and/or a $250,000 fine and 5 years of supervised release. The unlawful possession of a firearm by a prohibited person charge carries 10 years of custody and/or a $250,000 fine and 3 years of supervised release. The unlawful reentry after deportation charge carries 2 years of custody and/or a $250,000 fine and one year of supervised release. A $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund applies to each count, totaling $500.
A sentencing date has not yet been set. The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
###
Sioux Falls Man Charged with Preparation of False Tax Returns and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man for 23 counts of Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation and Presentation of a False and Fraudulent Return and 23 counts of Wire Fraud.
Amon Eustache Aboua, age 54, was indicted in January of 2024. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on January 16, 2024, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and up to $4,600 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that Aboua is the owner of African Communities United, d/b/a ACU Tax Services. Between February 2, 2018, and April 2, 2019, Aboua prepared false U.S. Individual Income Tax Returns and submitted them to the IRS for several taxpayers. Those returns were false in that the returns represented that the taxpayers were entitled to claim deductions when, in fact, they were not. Aboua submitted those tax returns electronically and caused fraudulently-inflated refunds, which unjustly enriched Aboua.
The charges are merely accusations and Aboua is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the IRS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case.
Aboua was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Rosebud Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on January 16, 2024.
Kyle Black Bull, age 34, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Black Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in June of 2022. He pleaded guilty on September 28, 2023.
In the evening hours of April 16, 2022, the victim was at a residence in Parmelee, South Dakota, with the defendant and two other males. The victim and the defendant had both been consuming alcohol during the evening. As the night progressed, the victim fell asleep on the couch. In the early morning hours of April 17, the victim awoke to the defendant engaging in intercourse with her. The victim was not capable of consenting, due to being asleep, and the defendant was aware that the victim was incapable of consenting.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Black Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Oglala Man found Guilty of Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Commercial Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Gordon Weston, age 57, of Oglala, South Dakota, of Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Commercial Sex Trafficking following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 10, 2024.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life on supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Weston was indicted by a federal grand jury in September of 2021.
Weston was employed as the Activities Coordinator at the Emergency Youth Shelter in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, from 2009 to 2021. Weston commonly requested juvenile females who stayed at the shelter to be “friends” with him on Facebook after they had left the shelter. Weston contacted at least one juvenile female and offered her money and transportation in exchange for sexual encounters with him.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Poppen and Jeffrey C. Clapper prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kyle Man Found Guilty of Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a jury has convicted Evan Brown Bull, age 38, of Kyle, South Dakota, of Possession of Ammunition by a Prohibited Person following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on January 10, 2024.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of ten years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brown Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2022.
Evidence at trial established that in March of 2022, in Rapid City, Brown Bull, a previously convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, was found in possession of 11 rounds of Black Hills Ammunition brand, .380 AUTO caliber ammunition, 49 rounds of Blazer brand, 9x19mm Luger ammunition, and 49 rounds of PMC brand, .38 Special caliber ammunition, which were found after Brown Bull came into contact with law enforcement during a traffic stop.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
District of South Dakota Awarded $16.3 Million in Grant Funding from the U.S. Department of Justice in FY23Read the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that in FY23, the U.S. Department of Justice, through the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), awarded 33 grants totaling $16.3 million in funding to the State of South Dakota, various tribal and local governments, and other local entities to support public safety and community justice activities. Nationally, the Justice Department awarded more than $4.4 billion in similar grant funding.
Of the $16.3 million awarded in South Dakota, over $8 million was given to the State of South Dakota, including the Attorney General’s Office, Department of Corrections, and Department of Public Safety. Over $5.4 million was awarded to tribal governments, including the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, and the Yankton Sioux Tribe in the form of grants from the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (SMART) grants. Additional grants were awarded to city and county governments, South Dakota State University, and local organizations.
“The money awarded to the State of South Dakota, tribal and local governments, and community organizations has the capacity to fund truly impactful work in the area of public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell. “We look forward to collaborating with these entities to grow the impact of their grant funding and improve the quality of life in communities throughout our state.”
The more than 3,700 OJP grants awarded in FY23 will support state, local, and community-based efforts and evidence-based interventions that reduce violence, crime, and recidivism while delivering treatment and services to those at-risk of justice system involvement. Funding will expand partnerships between criminal justice professionals and behavioral health experts, help people safely and successfully transition from confinement back to their communities, reach crime victims in underserved areas, steer young people away from justice system contact, improve the management of sex offenders, and support a wide range of research and statistical activities that will help justice system professionals meet community safety challenges.
Grants will support five major community safety and justice priorities:
- Awards totaling more than $1 billion will promote safety and strengthen trust, helping communities tackle the proliferation of gun violence in America and restore bonds of trust between community residents and the justice system. Grants will support innovative and evidence-based strategies designed to prevent and reduce violent crime, support the health and safety of law enforcement and public safety professionals, promote rehabilitation and reentry success, and address the rise in hate crimes across the country.
- More than $437 million in grant awards will accelerate justice system reforms designed to achieve equal justice and fair treatment for all. Grants will expand access to services among historically underserved and marginalized communities, reduce counterproductive involvement in the justice system, increase opportunities for diversion, and build pathways to treatment for people with substance use and mental health disorders.
- Over $192 million will improve the fairness and effectiveness of the juvenile justice system by supporting developmentally appropriate and culturally responsive interventions for youth. Funding will ensure that young people are served at home in their communities whenever possible, are equipped to transition to a healthy adulthood free of crime, and are protected from violence and abuse.
- More than $1.7 billion will expand access to victim services by investing in programs that provide trauma-informed and culturally responsive services to victims. Funding will support thousands of local victim assistance programs across the country and victim compensation programs in every state and U.S. territory, while helping these programs build their capacity to reach those disproportionately affected by crime and victimization.
- Over $418 million in awards will advance science and innovation to strengthen the base of knowledge that policymakers and practitioners can use to design and deploy effective community safety strategies. Awards will support research and data collection on a wide range of public safety issues, help maintain timely and accurate criminal history records, and improve the capacity of crime labs and forensic analysts to solve crimes, absolve the innocent, and deliver justice to victims.
In addition, OJP awarded more than $611 million to continue its support of other previously funded programs and congressionally directed spending. More information about the awards can be found by visiting www.ojp.gov/funding/fy23awards.
###
The Office of Justice Programs is the largest grantmaking component of the Department of Justice and houses the Department’s criminal and juvenile justice-related science, statistics, and programmatic agencies. OJP provides federal leadership, funding, training and technical assistance, research and statistics, and other critical resources to advance work that strengthens community safety, promotes civil rights and racial equity, increases access to justice, supports crime victims and individuals impacted by the justice system, and builds trust between law enforcement and communities.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Escape from CustodyRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Escape from Custody. The sentencing took place on January 3, 2024.
Dillon Bagola, age 31, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Once released from custody he will have to serve five years of supervised release relating to his prior federal sexual assault conviction.
Bagola was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 2, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on July 25, 2023, when Bagola, who was residing at the Community Alternatives of the Black Hills, in Rapid City, South Dakota, to finish a federal sentence, escaped from that facility. His whereabouts were unknown until he was apprehended on August 4, 2023, in Lower Brule.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
Bagola was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on January 3, 2024.
Jeremiah Iron Moccasin, age 39, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100, and forfeiture of the firearm.
Iron Moccasin was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 2, 2023.
The conviction stemmed from an incident on March 24, 2023, when Iron Moccasin was placed under arrest on a tribal warrant with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Once at the jail, Iron Moccasin and his backpack were searched. Officers recovered a small baggie of methamphetamine, two syringes with methamphetamine, and an Arminius HW7, GmbH .22 revolver. Iron Moccasin admitted to being a methamphetamine user for the last several years. This makes him a prohibited person.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Iron Moccasin was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault by a Habitual OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender. The sentencing took place on January 3, 2024.
John Red Bird, age 41, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Red Bird was indicted by a federal grand jury in May of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 10, 2023.
On April 15, 2023, Red Bird got into an argument with his intimate partner at their shared residence in Mission, and he struck her in the face multiple times. A family member called 911 and Red Bird was subsequently arrested by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officers. At the time of this incident, Red Bird had six prior convictions in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court for domestic assaults against the same intimate partner.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Red Bird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Woman Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on December 18, 2023.
Selena Pretty Bird, age 26, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Pretty Bird was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. She pleaded guilty on September 25, 2023.
In the morning of November 24, 2022, Pretty Bird, her sister, her mother, and two juveniles responded to a call from Pretty Bird’s brother. Pretty Bird’s brother mistakenly reported that a female had assaulted him and vandalized his vehicle. When Pretty Bird arrived at her brother’s location, an argument began between her and the female. The argument escalated to Pretty Bird and others assaulting the victim. As a result of the assault, the victim suffered a broken left arm that required surgery and a scalp laceration that required staples.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abby Roesler prosecuted the case.
Pretty Bird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Woman is the Second to be Sentenced in Multi-Pound Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on December 18, 2023.
Katrina Green, 39, was sentenced to 10 years and eight months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Green, along with four co-conspirators, was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. Green pleaded guilty on September 22, 2023, and her co-defendants, Janet Mallet and Tara Clayton, both of Sioux Falls, pleaded guilty on August 21, 2023, and November 15, 2022, respectively. Mallet was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment on November 27, 2023, and Clayton is set to be sentenced on February 12, 2024. The remaining co-defendants Frank Baker and Amber Justus have not pleaded guilty to the charge and are currently set for trial in February. They are presumed innocent.
Green and her co-conspirators obtained methamphetamine from out of state and would re-distribute it in the Sioux Falls area. Green herself was held accountable for the distribution of at least 17 pounds of meth. In February of 2023, Green provided two ounces of methamphetamine to a co-conspirator who then sold the methamphetamine to a confidential informant who was working with law enforcement to conduct a controlled buy.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Green was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rosebud Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on December 19, 2023.
Anthony Edward Farmer, age 39, was sentenced to two years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Farmer was indicted by a federal grand jury in August of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 12, 2023.
Farmer was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact With a Child in 2010. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of relocation or changing employment. In March of 2023, Farmer was released from prison and began a period of supervised release. At that time, he appropriately updated his sex offender registration to reflect he was residing at a residence in Rosebud. Farmer subsequently moved out of his registered address, but he did not update his sex offender registration. Farmer was arrested by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officers following a traffic stop in Rosebud on June 9, 2023.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Farmer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rosebud Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced Rosebud, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on December 19, 2023.
Jeffery Yellow Hawk, age 34, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Yellow Hawk was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 23, 2023.
On the evening June 16, 2023, Yellow Hawk was operating a motor vehicle in the Rosebud area when he approached a sobriety checkpoint. Yellow Hawk performed an illegal U-turn to avoid the sobriety checkpoint and drove away. Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officers pursued Yellow Hawk to his residence. Upon arrival to his residence, Yellow Hawk ignored commands from the pursuing officers and carried two firearms into his residence. Yellow Hawk subsequently brandished a loaded firearm at the officers. A short time later, Yellow Hawk exited the residence and was placed under arrest. A loaded shotgun and a loaded rifle were seized from the residence. Yellow Hawk will forfeit ownership of the firearms and ammunition.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Yellow Hawk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding. The sentencing took place on December 20, 2023.
Sewell Fool Bull, age 38, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Fool Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2023. He pleaded guilty on October 23, 2023.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred on January 31, 2023, wherein Fool Bull assaulted his intimate partner at a residence in St. Francis, South Dakota, by striking her in the face.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Fool Bull was ordered to self-surrender to the U.S. Marshals Service by January 2, 2024.