Kyle Man Charged with Having Alcohol on Pine Ridge

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Kyle man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing vodka and malt liquor on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Thomas Dean Lays Hard, age 49, was indicted on July 24, 2012, for Intoxicants Possessed Unlawfully in Indian Country. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on July 31, 2012, and pleaded not guilty to the indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is one year of imprisonment and/or a $100,000 fine. The charge is merely an accusation and Lays Hard is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne A. Venhuizen is prosecuting the case. Lays Hard was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not yet been set.