Thomas Small Bear, 42, of Mission, South Dakota, is behind bars after being sentenced to 33 months for beating his girlfriend during a drunken rage over text messages to other women. The attack, which occurred on November 17, 2015, in the Ring Thunder Community, left the woman with a cut, bruising, and a swollen lump on her face. Small Bear was sentenced on December 5, 2016, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
At the time of the assault, Small Bear was already on federal probation for a prior conviction of Domestic Assault by a Habitual Offender. Despite being under court supervision, he escalated a verbal dispute into violence while still inside the vehicle where the argument began. After his girlfriend confronted him about messaging other women, Small Bear lunged at her, punching and kicking her repeatedly in the face.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson, who emphasized Small Bear’s long history of domestic violence. Federal prosecutors successfully argued for enhanced penalties due to his criminal record, which includes three prior domestic abuse convictions in Rosebud Sioux Tribal Court and one prior federal conviction for the same charge. That track record triggered the habitual offender statute, ratcheting up the severity of the sentencing.
Small Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 8, 2015, just days after the attack. He entered a guilty plea on September 8, 2016, waiving trial in exchange for the agreed-upon sentence. In addition to prison time, he was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and will serve three years of supervised release upon his release from custody.
The investigation was led by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, whose officers responded to the scene and collected critical evidence, including witness accounts and medical documentation of the victim’s injuries. Their work laid the foundation for federal jurisdiction, given the location of the crime on tribal land and Small Bear’s prior federal convictions.
Following sentencing, Small Bear was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service. Federal authorities say cases like this underscore the persistent issue of domestic violence in tribal communities and the importance of federal-tribal law enforcement cooperation in holding repeat offenders accountable. United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler confirmed the outcome, calling it a hard-earned measure of justice for the victim.
Related Federal Cases
- Mission Man Charged in Federal Officer Assault, Domestic Abuse · South Dakota
- Jodie Brave Sentenced for Domestic Assault by Habitual Offender · South Dakota
- Jason Martinez Sentenced for Brutal Domestic Assault · South Dakota
- Mission Man Charged in Federal Officer Assault Case · South Dakota
- Kyle White Bull Charged with Habitual Domestic Assault · South Dakota
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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