Sisseton Man Charged with Sexual Abuse and Obstruction of Justice

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Sisseton, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for sexual abuse and obstruction of justice.

Brendon Javon Jacob Rodlund, age 29, was indicted on September 5, 2018.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William Gerdes on May 13, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

According to the Indictment, between on or about the 30th day of April and 1st day of May, 2016, Rodlund knowingly engaged in a sexual act with the victim, while the victim was physically incapable of declining participation in and communicating her unwillingness to engage in the sexual act.  Rodlund also gave false testimony regarding the incident in tribal court. 

The maximum penalties upon conviction for each count are as follows: up to life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine; a mandatory minimum term of five (5) years, up to life, of supervised release; $100 special assessment for victim/witness fund; $5,000 assessment to the domestic trafficking fund; and restitution may be ordered. 

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

The investigation is being conducted by the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Sioux Tribe’s Law Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.   

Rodlund was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A trial date has not been set.