Okreek Man Charged with Sexual Abuse of Minor

A 21-year-old Okreek man has been indicted on federal charges of Aggravated Sexual Abuse, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, and Child Abuse—allegedly targeting a child under 16 on the Rosebud Reservation. Marcos Lorenzo Bear Shield was hit with the charges over conduct said to have occurred on August 4, 2015, according to a federal indictment unsealed in December 2016.

Bear Shield appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on December 21, 2016, entering a plea of not guilty. The indictment, returned by a federal grand jury on December 13, lays out a brutal scenario: Bear Shield is accused of knowingly engaging in and attempting to engage in a sexual act with the minor, as well as abusing, exposing, torturing, tormenting, and cruelly punishing the victim on the same date.

The alleged victim was between 12 and 16 years old at the time and at least four years younger than Bear Shield, a key factor in the federal jurisdiction and severity of the charges. Federal prosecutors stress that the charges are accusations, and Bear Shield is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

If convicted, Bear Shield faces life in federal prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse, plus a lifetime of supervised release. The counts of Sexual Abuse of a Minor and Child Abuse each carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in custody, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Each charge also includes a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, with restitution possible.

The investigation was jointly led by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, underscoring the complex jurisdictional challenges in prosecuting crimes on tribal land. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Sanderson is handling prosecution for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Bear Shield remains in custody under the authority of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. No trial date has been scheduled. The case continues to unfold in South Dakota’s federal court as federal authorities pursue one of the most serious criminal cases on the reservation in recent months.