Reservation Assault

⏱ 2 min read

Oliver Brown Bull, a 38-year-old man from Kyle, South Dakota, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for brutally assaulting another man on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The assault occurred on January 31, 2025, when Brown Bull pushed the victim to the ground and punched him multiple times in the face, also kicking him in the face. The victim suffered severe injuries, including a broken eye socket, a laceration around his eye, two broken bones in his nose, and severe bruising. The case was prosecuted in federal court due to the Major Crimes Act, which mandates that certain violent crimes in Indian Country be prosecuted federally.

The investigation was led by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case. Brown Bull was found guilty of one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury following a federal jury trial in December 2025. In addition to his prison sentence, Brown Bull was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and will serve three years of supervised release.

The sentencing took place on March 23, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler. Brown Bull was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case highlights the importance of federal prosecution in addressing violent crimes in Indian Country.

The victim in the case was still suffering from the assault at the time of the trial, including continued pain and disfigurement. The sentence handed down to Brown Bull reflects the severity of the crime and the need to hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.