⏱ 2 min read
Freyane Charley, a 48-year-old man from Parmelee, South Dakota, was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for brutally assaulting a sleeping victim in a friend’s house in Sicangu Village, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. The attack occurred on November 1, 2024, and Charley pleaded guilty on March 19, 2026. The case was prosecuted in federal court due to the Major Crimes Act, which mandates that certain violent crimes in Indian Country be tried at the federal level.
Charley’s violent outburst left the victim with severe injuries, including a broken orbital around the right eye and two knocked-out teeth. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted it.
U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte handed down the sentence on June 15, 2026, which includes 3 years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Charley was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The sentencing brings closure to the case, but the victim’s road to recovery is likely to be long and challenging. The incident highlights the importance of addressing violent crime in Indian Country and the need for effective cooperation between federal and tribal law enforcement agencies.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Violent Crime
- Defendant: South Dakota
- Location: SD
- Source: DOJ Press Release
