Norris Man Sentenced on Assault Charge

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Norris man charged with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on July 5, 2011, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange. Russell F. Eagle Bear, III, age 28, was sentenced to 108 months custody and three years of supervised release.
Eagle Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2010. He pled guilty to one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in April 2011.

The charge stems from Eagle Bear brutally assaulting his father at Norris, South Dakota, in September 2010. During the assault, which lasted over two hours, Eagle Bear used a large kitchen knife to repeatedly threaten to kill his father and cut him in the face. Eagle Bear also punched and kicked his father, causing a broken nose and multiple bruises.

At the time of this offense, Eagle Bear was on supervised release which was revoked due to the assault. As a result, Eagle Bear was also sentenced to 18 months in custody for a violation of his supervised release. The 108 months custody is to run consecutive to the 18 month sentence he received.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.

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