ABERDEEN, SOUTH DAKOTA – A jury has convicted McLaughlin resident Kenton Wynn Walks, 39, of Simple Assault and Assault by Striking, Beating and Wounding in a federal district court in Aberdeen, South Dakota.
The assault occurred on April 22, 2022, on the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation. An elderly man was kicked in the head by Walks, resulting in a significant laceration that required six staples to close.
The victim suffered a three-inch-long laceration on the rear right side of his head, which produced a substantial amount of blood.
Walks was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case under the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute that mandates certain violent crimes be prosecuted in federal court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges led the prosecution of the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services.
The charges against Walks carry a maximum penalty of one and a half years in federal prison and/or a $105,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a $50 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date has not been set. The defendant was ordered to self-report for sentencing on July 2, 2024.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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