Illinois Man Charged With Criminal Trespass

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Chicago, Illinois, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Criminal Trespass.

Steven Nichols, age 43, was indicted on March 18, 2014.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on March 28, 2014, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 1 year in custody and/or a $100,000 fine, 1 year of supervised release, and $25 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The charge stems from an incident that took place on March 14, 2014, when Nichols, a non-Indian, entered or remained on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation after the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court and Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council excluded him from entering its lands.

The charge is merely an accusation and Nichols is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher is prosecuting the case.   

Nichols was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.