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Press Release

Pine Ridge Man Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota

Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse was sentenced on August 26, 2021, by Judge Jeffrey L. Viken, U.S. District Court.

Robert Dowty, Sr., age 59, was sentenced to life in federal prison, lifetime of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. 

Dowty was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2018.  He was found guilty of the charge following a jury trial in Rapid City on August 2, 2019.

The conviction stems from Dowty forcibly sexually assaulting a child under the age of 16 years between June and September of 2018 at Pine Ridge.  Additional victims testified at trial regarding past sexual abuse by Dowty.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.

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

Updated September 7, 2021

Topic
Indian Country Law and Justice