Maria Janis, Child Abuse, South Dakota 2014

A Bonesteel woman was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in custody for her role in the child abuse of her minor children. Maria Janis, 35, had been convicted of the crime in federal court.

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced the sentencing, which took place on February 11, 2014, before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange. In addition to her prison sentence, Janis was also ordered to serve 3 years of supervised release and pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Janis was initially indicted for Child Abuse by a federal grand jury on April 12, 2013. She had pled guilty to the charge on November 19, 2013. The case against Janis revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse, with her husband, Robert Prue, engaging in efforts to sexually abuse some of the children.

According to the investigation, Janis and her family had lived in several states, including Arizona and Washington State, before moving to South Dakota and the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in the spring of 2011. Over an extended period of time, Janis learned that Prue was sexually abusing some of the children, but she failed to take steps to protect them.

Instead, Janis continued to leave the children in Prue’s supervision, exposing them to further harm. The investigation revealed that Prue had persisting methamphetamine and alcohol problems during the time he was around the children.

Between June 22, 2011, and September 22, 2011, while in South Dakota, Prue engaged in efforts to accomplish sexual acts with one of the victims, a minor. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case, which resulted in Janis being immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case serves as a disturbing reminder of the devastating impact of child abuse and the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

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