Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter

Acting United States Attorney Dennis Holmes announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter was sentenced on September 20, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.

Eugene Skunk, age 43, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Skunk was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 9, 2020.  He pled guilty on June 28, 2021.

On July 26, 2020, in Lower Brule, Skunk struck a man while operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol.  Skunk returned to the scene of the incident and self-reported himself as the driver of the vehicle which struck the victim. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Lower Brule Agency.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.

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