A Parmelee man, William Verlin Fool Bull, Sr., has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for domestic assault by an habitual offender. U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte delivered the sentence on February 20, 2025. Following his prison term, Fool Bull will undergo three years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Fool Bull was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024 and pleaded guilty on November 19, 2024. The charges stem from an incident that occurred on October 4, 2023. At that time, Fool Bull assaulted his girlfriend at their home in Parmelee within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. The attack ceased when his girlfriend managed to escape after kicking him in the knee.
Fool Bull's conviction is influenced by two prior instances of domestic abuse. The prosecution fell under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney’s Office due to the Major Crimes Act, which mandates federal court proceedings for certain violent crimes occurring in Indian Country.
The case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem. After sentencing, Fool Bull was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.