Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Family Member within the Pine Ridge Reservation

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, who was convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on July 21, 2025.

Cole Waters, 37, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Waters was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury in December 2024. He pleaded guilty on May 9, 2025.

On November 16, 2024, in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, Waters used a pistol to beat his nephew several times. Waters first used the pistol to strike his nephew’s face, causing him to fall down. Then, when his nephew tried to get back up, Waters struck his nephew with the pistol again, on the back of his head. Waters used the pistol to hit his nephew a final time on the back of his shoulder. Waters’ nephew suffered serious bodily injury, including a fracture to his face and numbness and scarring elsewhere.

This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.

This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.

Waters was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.