Allen Man Pleads Not Guilty to Being an Accessory to Second Degree Murder and Making False Statements

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that an Allen, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Accessory after the Fact and False Statement or Representation.

Nathaniel "Thomas" Waters, age 45, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is 15 years in custody and/or a $125,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The charges relate to Waters being an accessory to second degree murder of his nephew, Ray Waters, Jr., on October 16, 2017, at Allen. Waters provided false statements to law enforcement about his location at the time of a fire and the homicide.

The charges are merely accusations and Waters is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen is prosecuting the case.

Waters was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has been set for June 26, 2018.

If you have information concerning this crime, please contact FBI Special Agent Robert Bennett at 605-343-9632.