Lee Ann Stenstrom, Assaulting a Federal Officer, South Dakota 2019

MISSION, SOUTH DAKOTA - In a shocking turn of events, Lee Ann Stenstrom, 36, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer.

According to court documents, Stenstrom approached a Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services Officer at a convenience store on December 26, 2018, in Mission, South Dakota. The officer detected the odor of alcohol on Stenstrom and asked to get a statement from her outside the store.

Stenstrom agreed to the request, but once outside, she got in the driver's seat of a parked vehicle. The officer, concerned that Stenstrom was intoxicated, told her not to start the vehicle and attempted to take the keys from the ignition. However, Stenstrom started the vehicle and backed up, knocking the officer down, and then drove away.

She was arrested later that day at a residence in Mission. Stenstrom was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 13, 2019, and pled guilty on August 12, 2019.

The case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case. Stenstrom was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

As part of her sentence, Stenstrom will also serve 3 years of supervised release and pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

The incident highlights the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the line of duty. The public is urged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sd/pr/mission-woman-sentenced-assaulting-federal-officer-2