Description: Aberdeen, South Dakota criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with assault of an intimate partner resulting in substantial bodily injury.

Elias Glen Sims, age 19, was indicted by a federal grand jury in January of 2023. A Superseding Information was filed, and the defendant pleaded guilty on September 11, 2023.

The defendant was convicted of physically abusing his pregnant girlfriend in McLaughlin. On May 10, 2023, the defendant became angry and struck the victim about the body, strangled her, and punched her in the stomach. The defendant was 24 weeks pregnant at the time of the assault.

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 Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services, Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.

Sims was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $100 assessment.

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