United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury was sentenced on January 5, 2015, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann. He was found guilty by a federal jury on October 8, 2014, following a two day trial in Pierre, South Dakota.

Brett Roach, age 27, was sentenced to 120 months in custody, two years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Roach was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2013.

The conviction stems from an incident on May 22, 2013, when Roach, who was babysitting his wife’s three young children, forcefully threw one of the children off the bed and across the room after the child repeatedly woke him up. The Defendant then noticed the ten-month old victim was unconscious and called 911 to summon an ambulance. The victim was transported to the Mobridge Regional Hospital and then airlifted to Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls due to the severity of the child’s head injuries, which included bilateral skull fractures and subdural hematomas. The child also suffered multiple bruises over numerous parts of the body. The victim was in critical condition for an extended period of time.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.

Roach was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to begin serving his sentence.