A violent outburst behind bars turned into a federal sentence for 33-year-old Timothy Bear Eagle of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, after he punched a correctional officer so hard he shattered the man’s jaw.
Bear Eagle was sentenced on February 21, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange to 60 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The punishment stems from a September 7, 2017, incident at the CRST Adult Detention Facility inside the Walter Miner Law Enforcement Detention Center.
Originally compliant, Bear Eagle had been arrested by Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe police for being drunk at an elderly person’s home. While booking in and removing his shoes, he overheard on the law enforcement scanner that his girlfriend was being brought in on arrest. That’s when the situation exploded.
Fueled by rage, Bear Eagle stood up, hurled his shoes, and charged at a correctional officer. He swung his right arm and struck the officer with a closed fist near his left ear. The impact broke the officer’s jaw. Within seconds, other officers tackled Bear Eagle to the ground and handcuffed him.
The injured officer was rushed to the Indian Health Services Emergency Room before being flown to Rapid City, where doctors wired his jaw shut. The severity of the injury elevated the case to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, a federal charge due to jurisdiction on tribal land.
Bear Eagle was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 17, 2017, and pleaded guilty on December 1, 2017. The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services led the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller handled prosecution. Bear Eagle was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service immediately after sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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