McLaughlin Man Pleads Guilty to Murder

United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that Matthew St. Pierre, age 31, of McLaughlin, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on August 4, 2017, and pled guilty to a Superseding Information that charged him with Second Degree Murder.

   
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to life in custody, a$250,000 fine, a period of supervised release of 5 years.  If St. Pierre is found to have violated a condition of supervised release, he may be incarcerated for an additional term of up to 5 years on any such revocation.  A fine of $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and restitution may also be ordered. 

The charge stems from an incident between October 11, 2016, and October 12, 2016, when St. Pierre unlawfully aided and abetted in the murder of his girlfriend’s daughter who was five years old at the time of her death.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Standing Rock Agency.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Troy R. Morley and Daniel C. Nelson.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for November 20, 2017.  St. Pierre was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.