Pine Ridge Man Charged With Sexually Abusing a Minor

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for engaging in a sexual act with a minor at Pine Ridge between 2009 and 2010.

Derek Black Elk, age 24, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 25, 2012, for Sexual Abuse of a Minor. Black Elk appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on November 7, 2012, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The charge is merely an accusation, and Black Elk is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Collins is prosecuting the case. Black Elk was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal. A trial date has been set for January 15, 2013.