PIERRE – In a shocking turn of events, Louis Andrew Rabbitt, Jr., a 42-year-old Mission, South Dakota, resident, was sentenced to six years and five months in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender, assaulting a federal officer with a baseball bat, and committing a crime of violence while on the run.
The sentencing took place on April 24, 2024, in the U.S. District Court in Pierre, South Dakota, presided over by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange. Rabbitt was also ordered to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and serve five years of supervised release upon his release from prison.
Rabbitt was indicted by a federal grand jury in October and December of 2023 for his crimes, which were confirmed after a three-day jury trial in January 2024. The jury found Rabbitt guilty of all counts, including Failure to Register as a Sex Offender, Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer with a Dangerous Weapon, and Commission of a Crime of Violence while Failing to Register as a Sex Offender.
According to evidence presented at trial, Rabbitt had failed to update his sex offender registration after moving from his registered address in July 2023. This failure to comply with the law was compounded when he continued to evade registration when U.S. Marshals arrived to arrest him on September 20, 2023. In an attempt to avoid capture, Rabbitt threatened the Deputy U.S. Marshals with a baseball bat before being apprehended.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service with the assistance of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Wayne Venhuizen and Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case with vigor, ensuring that Rabbitt faced justice for his crimes.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. This initiative marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims.
Rabbitt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, where he will serve his sentence. The people of South Dakota can rest easy knowing that this sex offender is behind bars, and the law will continue to protect its citizens from predators like Rabbitt.
Related Federal Cases
- Mission Man Sentenced for Sex Offender Registration Blunder · Wisconsin
- Mission Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as Sex Offender · Montana
- Wanblee Man Sentenced to 4 Years for Sex Offender Crimes · South Dakota
- Ennors Quick Bear Charged in Sex Offender Registration Failure · South Dakota
- Lavern Looking Cloud Sentenced for Sex Offender Registration Failure · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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