Eagle Butte Man Found Guilty of Sexual Abuse of a Child

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Chad Two Hearts, age 39, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, has been convicted of aggravated sexual abuse of a child as a result of a two-day federal jury trial held in Pierre, South Dakota.

This charge carries a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both; at least five years and up to life of supervised release; and a $100 special assessment.

Two Hearts, who was previously convicted by the state of South Dakota for second-degree attempted rape, was indicted by a federal grand jury for aggravated sexual abuse of a child on March 13, 2013.

At Two Hearts’ trial, which began on August 27, 2013, the jury heard a taped confession of Two Hearts admitting to the Federal Bureau of Investigation that he sexually abused the victim in Hills, Minnesota. The victim, who was 9 or 10 years old at the time of the sexual abuse and was 18 years old at the time of the trial, testified that the sexual abuse happened in both Minnesota and South Dakota. The jury returned its guilty verdict after deliberating for approximately two hours.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Division, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mikal Hanson prosecuted the case.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for November 20, 2013.

The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to await sentencing.