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Press Release

Lower Brule Man Sentenced for Assault

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Dakota

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on June 11, 2018, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Tristan Patterson, a/k/a Tristan Johnson, age 20, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Patterson was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 12, 2017.  He pled guilty on March 21, 2018.

The conviction stemmed from an incident on July 29, 2017, when Patterson was being booked into the Lower Brule Correctional Facility following a tribal arrest.  Patterson was non-compliant with the booking process.  As he was escorted to a holding cell and his wrist restraints were removed, Patterson stood up and began to wrestle with correctional staff.  A restraint chair was brought in and he was ordered to sit in the chair. 

Patterson resisted and began to tense up his arms in an attempt to avoid being restrained.  He also attempted having his legs restrained by kicking his legs out and up.  In the course of resisting, Patterson struck one of the correctional officers on the side of the face with his foot, knocking his glasses up.  Then Patterson began to spit towards the correctional officers and was placed in a spit mask.  No injuries were noted, though one of the correctional officer’s watch was broken in the struggle. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.

Patterson was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Updated June 11, 2018

Topics
Indian Country Law and Justice
Violent Crime