Rapid City Man Indicted for Assaulting Federal Officers

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Rapid City man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for the alleged assault of three Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe law enforcement officers in September 2012.

Sidney Lightning Fire, age 29, was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 16, 2012, for three counts of assaulting, resisting, and impeding a federal officer. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on October 26, 2012 and pled not guilty to the indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in custody, a $250,000 fine, or both.

The charges are merely accusations, and Lightning Fire is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikal Hanson is prosecuting the case.

Lightning Fire was released on bond pending trial.