Waubay Man Charged in Death of Minor

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Waubay, South Dakota man has been indicted by a federal grand jury this week in the death of a minor.

Mario Contreras, age 34, was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 14, 2012, for second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, assault resulting in serious bodily injury to a child, and child abuse. He appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on August 16, 2012, and pled not guilty to the indictment. The maximum penalty upon conviction is life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine. The charges are merely accusations, and Contreras is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Sisseton/Wahpeton Tribal Police Department, the BIA, and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas J. Wright is prosecuting the case. Contreras was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A trial date has not yet been set.