Clayton Fire Thunder, Involuntary Manslaughter, South Dakota 2025

Clayton Fire Thunder Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

RAPID CITY - In a shocking verdict, Clayton Fire Thunder, age 40, of Oglala, South Dakota, was found guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter and two counts of False Statement following a two-day federal trial in Rapid City.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of eight years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Fire Thunder was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. The conviction relates to the tragic events that unfolded on September 15, 2022, when Fire Thunder, intoxicated and armed, mishandled a firearm at a residence on Pine Ridge, South Dakota, causing a bullet to discharge into the adjacent bedroom.

A female was struck by the bullet on her left side slightly below her arm and later succumbed to her injuries. In two separate interviews with FBI agents, Fire Thunder made false statements about the firearm and his involvement in the killing.

The case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuting the case. A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has been set for April 25, 2025.

Defendant: Clayton Fire Thunder

Criminal Charges: Involuntary Manslaughter, two counts of False Statement

City and State: Rapid City, South Dakota

Date: January 30, 2025 (verdict), September 15, 2022 (crime date)

Sentence: Sentencing date set for April 25, 2025

Dollar Amounts: $250,000 fine, $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund

Defendant's Status: Remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/oglala-man-found-guilty-federal-trial-involuntary-manslaughter