A federal jury in Pierre, South Dakota, delivered a verdict in the case of Joel Miller, acquitting him of Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding on August 27, 2025.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Miller, age 51, was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2025, stemming from an alleged assault of a man in May 2025 within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation in Todd County, South Dakota.
The investigation was conducted by the Todd County Sheriff’s Office, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the FBI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.
The acquittal marks a significant outcome in the case, which was prosecuted under federal law due to the alleged crime occurring within Indian Country.
As per federal law, certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country must be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to state court.
The Todd County Sheriff’s Office, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and the FBI investigated the case, while the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted it.
U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced the acquittal, bringing closure to the case and underscoring the importance of federal law in such instances.
Related Federal Cases
- Ray Mcfarland, Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding, South Dakota 2017 · South Dakota
- Roger Bishop, Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding, South Dakota 2018 · South Dakota
- Roger Bishop, Assault by Striking, Beating, and Wounding, South Dakota 2019 · South Dakota
- Jared Bourland, Assault by Striking, Beating, or Wounding, Simple Assault, South Dakota 2016 · South Dakota
- Franky Torres, Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person, South Dakota 2021 · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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