Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Oglala, South Dakota, man convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor was sentenced by Chief Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Wesley Blacksmith, age 42, was sentenced on July 1, 2019, to 17 1/2 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Blacksmith was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2018.  The conviction stems from Blacksmith, who is a sex offender by reason of a previous conviction for Sexual Abuse of a Minor, having a sexual relationship with a 15 year-old female in 2017 in Oglala. A child was born in January 2018 from this relationship.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

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