Eagle Butte Woman Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal Officer with a Knife

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Pamela Dawn Garreau, age 45, of Eagle Butte, appeared before United States District Judge Roberto A. Lange on March 2, 2012 and pled guilty to a superseding information that charged her with assaulting, resisting, or impeding a federal officer. The maximum penalty upon conviction is eight years in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both.

The conviction was based on an incident that occurred on June 23, 2010 at Eagle Butte, South Dakota. Officers from the Cheyenne River Police Department were called to Garreau’s residence by relatives. When they arrived, they found Garreau in a back bedroom holding a knife. The officers directed her to drop the knife, but instead, she walked toward them. The officers yelled at Garreau to “drop the knife,” but she did not. Garreau began swinging the knife, and one of the officers was cut.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mikal Hanson.

A presentence investigation was ordered, and a sentencing date was set for May 14, 2012.