Gokoh Frank Brown, a 29-year-old man from Watertown, South Dakota, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for sexually assaulting a child.
According to court documents, Brown repeatedly sexually assaulted a 12-year-old household member while living on the Lake Traverse Reservation from January to August 2023.
Brown was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024 and found guilty following a jury trial on May 21, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann handed down the sentence on November 3, 2025, which also includes 20 years of supervised release and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $200.
Brown must register as a sex offender once released from federal prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Law Enforcement, and the DCI, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Ebert-Webb prosecuting the case.
The matter was prosecuted in federal court due to the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute that mandates certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
Related Federal Cases
- Skyler Two Dogs, Abusive Sexual Contact, South Dakota 2021 · South Dakota
- Frank White Thunder, Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, South Dakota 2017 · South Dakota
- John McKenzie, Child Pornography Distribution, South Dakota 2018 · South Dakota
- Ryan Davies, Child Pornography Possession, South Dakota 2018 · South Dakota
- Sylanus Flute, Aggravated Child Sexual Abuse, South Dakota 2017 · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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