A jury in Rapid City, South Dakota, has found Frank Long Black Cat guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon. The conviction, announced by U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell, followed a two-day trial, concluding on April 9, 2025.
Long Black Cat, aged 31 and a resident of Pine Ridge, was indicted earlier in January 2025. The trial revealed that he used a knife to stab another individual multiple times on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
Under the potential sentencing, he faces a maximum of ten years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 fee to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution could also be part of the sentencing.
The federal prosecution was necessitated by the Major Crimes Act, which requires certain violent offenses in Indian Country to be tried in Federal court instead of State court. The case was managed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Schroeder and Megan Poppen leading the prosecution.
The investigation into the incident was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. A presentence investigation is underway, with sentencing set for July 14, 2025.