Lawrence Gary, Jr. Charged in Brutal Rosebud Knife Attack

A 19-year-old Rosebud man is facing federal charges after allegedly launching a vicious, near-fatal assault on a fellow tribal member using a knife, a pan, and repeated blows with shod feet. Lawrence Gary, Jr. was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 14, 2018, on three counts: Assault With Intent to Commit Murder, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.

According to the indictment, the attack occurred on January 21, 2018, on the Rosebud Indian Reservation. Gary allegedly stabbed the victim with a knife before striking him with a pan and kicking him multiple times. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries and required emergency medical treatment. Details of the victim’s condition remain under wraps, but sources indicate the assault left him with lasting trauma and physical damage.

Gary appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on February 16, 2018, where he entered a plea of not guilty. He was immediately remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, where he remains pending trial. No trial date has been set.

If convicted, Gary faces up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine. The court may also impose 3 years of supervised release, a $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and restitution for medical and related expenses. The charges are presumed non-adjudicated; Gary is innocent until proven guilty under federal law.

The investigation was led by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, highlighting ongoing collaboration between tribal authorities and federal prosecutors in handling violent crime on sovereign land. The case underscores the DOJ’s intensified focus on prosecuting violent acts within Indian Country under federal jurisdiction.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case. The indictment was issued by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota, led at the time by Ron Parsons. As the legal process unfolds, community members in Rosebud are calling for justice and greater intervention to stem youth-driven violence on the reservation.