Fort Thompson Man Sentenced For Arson

Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Fort Thompson, South Dakota, man convicted of Arson was sentenced on May 12, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Lewis Brown, Jr., age 21, was sentenced to 42 months in custody, 4 years of supervised release, $45,661.86 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 9, 2014.  He pled guilty on March 9, 2015.

The conviction stems from an incident on or about October 15, 2014, when Brown, who was at the residence of the victim in Fort Thompson, had a disagreement with the victim’s family and was asked to leave.  He left and then came back, but went to the residence next door which shares a common wall with the first victim’s home.  Brown started the apartment on fire and then fled the residence. A Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer responded to the call that the duplex was on fire and people may be trapped inside.  The officer was also informed that Brown had been present across the street, watching the fire, but fled before the fire department and police arrived.

This case was investigated by the BIA Crow Creek Agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.

Brown was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.