St. Francis Man Indicted on Kidnapping and Assault Charges

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Kidnapping, Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation, Child Abuse, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.

Michael T. Farmer, age 28, was indicted on November 13, 2019.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 6, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 5 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that between October 6, 2019, and October 8, 2019, Farmer kidnapped and held a woman against her will, unlawfully assaulted her by strangling and suffocating her, unlawfully assaulted her with a dangerous weapon, and unlawfully assaulted her resulting in bodily injury.  The Indictment further alleges Farmer did abuse, expose, torture, torment, and cruelly punish a child. 

The charges are merely accusations and Farmer is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.   

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