Benton Rowland Indicted for Child Sexual Abuse on Pine Ridge

Benton Rowland, 32, of Pine Ridge, South Dakota, is facing the full weight of federal prosecution after being indicted on three counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The charges stem from a years-long pattern of alleged abuse that began in 2008 and stretched through 2014, with incidents reported in both Manderson and Pine Ridge.

The federal grand jury returned the indictment on November 16, 2016. Rowland appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on November 30, 2016, where he formally pleaded not guilty. He was immediately remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, with no bond set ahead of trial.

If convicted, Rowland faces a potential life sentence, a $250,000 fine, mandatory lifetime supervised release, and a $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The court may also impose restitution to the victim, the amount of which has not yet been determined.

The investigation was a joint effort between the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case highlights persistent law enforcement challenges on tribal lands, where federal jurisdiction often comes into play for violent and sexual crimes.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen is leading the prosecution. The government’s case is expected to present forensic, testimonial, and circumstantial evidence linking Rowland to the repeated sexual abuse of a minor over a six-year period.

Rowland’s trial is scheduled to begin February 7, 2017. The charges are presumed accusations under federal law, and Rowland is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.