Kyle Man Charged with Unlawfully Possessing Intoxicants in Indian Country

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Kyle, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for unlawfully possessing vodka in Indian country on November 7, 2012.

Thomas Dean Lays Hard, age 49, was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 18, 2012, for Intoxicants Possessed Unlawfully in Indian Country. Lays Hard appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on December 20, 2012, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 5 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 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, and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Wayne Venhuizen is prosecuting the case. Lays Hard was remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal. A trial date has been set for February 26, 2013.