Wounded Knee Man Pleads Not Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Wounded Knee, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for a charge that relates to an allegation that he knowingly engaged in or attempted to engage in a sexual act with a minor female in March 2011 at Wounded Knee.

Clayton Dale Jealous of Him, age 28, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 20, 2011, for Sexual Abuse of a Minor. Jealous of Him appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on September 23, 2011, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. The charge is merely an accusation, and Jealous of Him is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Britt Haxton is prosecuting the case. Jealous of Him was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not yet been set.