Eagle Butte Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding Federal Officers and Discharge of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Jason Garreau, age 27, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on March 5, 2014, and pled guilty to two counts of a superseding indictment that charged him with assaulting, resisting, and impeding federal officers and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.

The maximum penalty upon conviction on the assault a federal officer charge is 20 years of custody and/or a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The maximum penalty on the discharge of a firearm charge is a mandatory minimum of 10 years in custody up to life in prison, consecutive to the sentence imposed on the assault charge, and/or a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. There will be a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.

The conviction stems from a standoff Garreau had with law enforcement on October 31, 2013, at a Pierre residence. The standoff followed a high speed chase that ensued on October 30, 2013, when law enforcement attempted to serve an arrest warrant on an individual. When the individual’s car was located, police discovered it was being driven by Garreau. Police attempted to execute a traffic stop on the vehicle, but Garreau then led police on a high-speed chase, which was aborted on east Highway 34. The Bureau of Indian Affairs soon discovered the vehicle on the Crow Creek Reservation, and a new pursuit ensued. While in pursuit, Garreau made multiple phone calls to his cousin, who came to aid Garreau in the pursuit and the cousin opened fire on law enforcement, which allowed Garreau to flee the scene. The next day, Garreau was located at a residence in Pierre, and a SWAT team was called in to assist in the apprehension. When the SWAT team entered the residence, Garreau fired multiple shots from a Benelli shotgun and a Hi-Point handgun, injuring two police officers. Garreau surrendered and was taken into custody.

Following his plea in federal court, Garreau will also be pleading guilty to one count of attempted murder in state court. The parties have agreed that the sentence imposed in State court will be consecutive to the sentence imposed in federal court.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Hughes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pierre Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges.

A presentence investigation was ordered and a sentencing date was set for June 2, 2014. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.