United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell has announced the sentencing of Nathaniel Yazzie, a resident of Sisseton, South Dakota, for child abuse. U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte sentenced Yazzie to one year and seven months in federal prison on January 27, 2025. Following his prison term, Yazzie will undergo three years of supervised release and is required to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Yazzie was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024 and pleaded guilty on October 31, 2024. The charges stem from an incident on July 29, 2024, when Yazzie struck a three-year-old child multiple times while the child was under his care. A concerned individual reported hearing the abuse from Yazzie's room, prompting law enforcement intervention. Upon arrival at the scene, officers discovered the child with visible injuries including a bloody lip and facial bruising consistent with slapping. The child received medical attention following the incident.
The case fell under federal jurisdiction due to the Major Crimes Act, which requires certain violent crimes occurring in Indian Country to be prosecuted federally rather than at the state level.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen led the prosecution of this case.
Following his sentencing, Yazzie was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.