Lower Brule Man And Woman Charged With Assaulting, Resisting And Impeding A Federal Officer

United  States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a man and a woman from Lower Brule, South Dakota, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer.

Sterling St. Cloud, age 32, and Toni Harmon, a/k/a Toni Bad Horse, age 39, were indicted on May 13, 2014.  They appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on May 22, 2014, and both pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 8 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on or about March 8, 2014, St. Cloud and Harmon forcibly assaulted, resisted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, and interfered with an officer while he was engaged in the performance of his official duties and employed as a federal law enforcement officer with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of Interior.

The charge is merely an accusation and St. Cloud and Harmon are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges is prosecuting the case.   

St. Cloud and Harmon were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.