Eagle Butte Man Charged in Brutal Stick Assault

A 65-year-old Eagle Butte man is facing federal charges after allegedly beating another person with a wooden stick so severely it caused serious bodily injury. Gordon Blue Arm was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 11, 2020, on two counts: Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.

The attack reportedly occurred on February 27, 2020, in Eagle Butte, South Dakota, where Blue Arm allegedly used the wooden stick with intent to inflict bodily harm. The victim sustained injuries significant enough to meet the federal threshold for serious bodily injury, triggering federal jurisdiction under laws governing crimes on tribal lands.

Blue Arm appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 13, 2020, where he entered a plea of not guilty. He was subsequently remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. No trial date has been scheduled.

If convicted, Blue Arm faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of $250,000, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The court may also order restitution to the victim.

The investigation was led by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, highlighting the ongoing collaboration between tribal authorities and federal prosecutors in violent crime cases on reservations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller is handling the prosecution.

The charges against Gordon Blue Arm are merely accusations. He is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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