United States of America v. Sinte White Butterfly

Sioux Falls, SD criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting an Infant on the Pine Ridge Reservation

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on January 8, 2025.



Sinte White Butterfly, 25, 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.



White Butterfly was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on October 29, 2024.



The conviction stemmed from White Butterfly assaulting his infant daughter when she was between one and two months old, in August of 2024, fracturing numerous bones throughout her body and causing brain damage. In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Theeler stated the victim should have been able to count on White Butterfly as someone to protect her from harm, but instead he broke both of her legs, both of her arms, fractured nearly all of her ribs, and caused a skull fracture and a brain bleed, because he was intoxicated and lost his temper. Judge Theeler noted also that the facts of the case, coupled with White Butterfly's history of violence, called for a strong need to protect the community.



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 Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.



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