Harrold Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault By An Habitual Offender

Acting United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Harrold, South Dakota, man convicted of Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender was sentenced on September 28, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Lonnie Patrick Big Eagle, age 39, was sentenced to 33 months in custody, followed by 2 years of supervised release, $78.20 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Big Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury on January 14, 2015.  He pled guilty on July 6, 2015.

The conviction stemmed from an incident between August 9, 2014, and August 10, 2014, when the victim, who had been in a relationship with Big Eagle for several years and has five children with him, went to the pow wow in Lower Brule.  She took four of her five children with her and left her youngest son with Big Eagle.  She started receiving phone calls that Big Eagle was drunk and she returned home.  Once she got there, the victim went inside the house, and Big Eagle came in after her and started telling her she was not going anywhere.  He also made accusations against her and called her names. Big Eagle threatened to break the windows of the victim’s vehicle and knocked her phone out of her hand.  She tried to get in her car, but Big Eagle struck the window with a lawn chair, so she went around her car in order to avoid getting hit by Big Eagle.

Big Eagle started kicking the victim, who then fell, stood back up, and went around the vehicle.  Big Eagle continued to follow her and grabbed her shirt.  She tripped and fell to the ground, and Big Eagle got on top of her and hit her in the face multiple times, causing blood to run down her face. The assault ended when Big Eagle’s brother intervened to help the victim.  The victim then went to her aunt’s house to get help, and was seen by an ambulance attendant.

Big Eagle has several prior arrests and two prior convictions for domestic violence.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Crow Creek Agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case.

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