⏱ 2 min read
Thomas Maurice Cornia, a 20-year-old from McLaughlin, South Dakota, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for stabbing a man in the shoulder with a knife during a brawl at a graduation party in Bullhead, South Dakota, on July 5, 2025. The fight was the culmination of a long-standing feud between Cornia and the victim, who had been arguing before the physical altercation escalated. Cornia pleaded guilty to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon on February 23, 2026, and was sentenced on June 8, 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.
The incident began when Cornia and the victim saw each other at the graduation party and started arguing. The situation quickly turned violent, with the victim punching Cornia in the face and the two men brawling on the ground. It was during this fight that Cornia produced a knife and stabbed the victim in the shoulder.
The FBI investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem. In addition to the two-year prison sentence, Cornia was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and will serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.
Cornia was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence. The case highlights the serious consequences of violent crimes, particularly those committed with dangerous weapons, and the importance of federal prosecution in certain cases.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Violent Crime
- Defendant: South Dakota
- Location: SD
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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