Wounded Knee Predator Gets 30 Years for Child Abuse

RAPID CITY, SD – Anfernee Rondeau, 28, of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, will spend the next three decades in federal prison after being convicted of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor. U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler handed down the sentence on August 18, 2025, following a federal jury trial that laid bare a sickening act of predation.

The evidence presented at trial painted a disturbing picture of the night of April 4, 2024. Rondeau, heavily intoxicated alongside his girlfriend, returned home with the woman and her 6-year-old daughter. The three retreated to a bedroom, and it wasn’t long before the sounds of a nightmare began. A 13-year-old witness, a family member present in the home, overheard the child crying out. What she discovered when she intervened was horrific.

The teen witness bravely confronted Rondeau, finding him on top of the child, his pants partially unzipped and pulled down, and the child similarly exposed. Without hesitation, the 13-year-old pulled Rondeau away from the victim, wrapped the traumatized girl in a blanket, and carried her to safety with another family member. The Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety responded swiftly, arresting Rondeau at the scene.

Rondeau was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024 and found guilty in May 2025. Judge Theeler’s sentence includes 30 years imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $100 payment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. This isn’t just a sentence; it’s a desperate attempt to shield another potential victim from this monster.

The case landed in federal court due to the Major Crimes Act, a law that compels federal prosecution of certain violent crimes occurring within Indian country. The investigation was a joint effort between the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the FBI, demonstrating a critical collaboration in protecting vulnerable members of the community. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen spearheaded the prosecution, bringing a determined focus to the pursuit of justice.

While no sentence can erase the trauma inflicted upon this young victim, the 30-year term sends a clear message: predators who target children will be met with the full force of the law. This case serves as a stark reminder of the darkness that exists even in the most remote corners of this country, and the unwavering need for vigilance and protection of our most vulnerable citizens. The heroic actions of the 13-year-old witness undoubtedly saved this child from further harm.

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