GRIM NEWS FROM WANBLEE: Benjamin Francis Sitting Up Jr., 38, of Wanblee, South Dakota, has been locked away for 15 years in federal prison following his conviction on serious sexual abuse charges. The grim sentence was announced by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier after a hearing that saw the judge explain that the maximum penalty was justified given Sitting Up’s history.
It all began with a heinous act of sexual abuse against a 13-year-old girl in November 2023. The case took an ugly turn when it emerged that Sitting Up had previously been convicted of transferring obscene material to another female, leading to his first sentence of three years in prison followed by supervision.
After serving out that term, Sitting Up was free but not rehabilitated—his next act was digitally raping a minor in his own home. The justice system has now delivered its verdict: 15 years behind bars for the repeat offender, with an additional decade of supervised release to follow.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth, who cited the Major Crimes Act as the reason for federal jurisdiction over this Indian Country case. The FBI and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety worked together to bring Sitting Up to justice.
With this sentence, the community of Wanblee can take some solace in the fact that a dangerous predator has been locked away from innocent children. But the scars of his actions will remain for years to come, serving as a grim reminder of the impact of sexual abuse.
Sitting Up was immediately remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service, ensuring he won’t again be allowed to roam free among those he has so severely victimized.
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Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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