United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that McKenzie Big Crow of Porcupine, South Dakota, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier. Big Crow received a 12-year federal prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter, violating the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and possession of an unregistered firearm. The sentence includes three years of supervised release and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Big Crow, 20, was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 and found guilty by a federal jury in January 2025. The charges stem from an incident on August 20, 2023, near Porcupine, where Big Crow possessed a modified Savage Arms Model 62 rifle. The weapon discharged, fatally wounding 19-year-old Ashton Provost and her unborn child. Drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine, were found in Big Crow's system at the time.
Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis commented, “We commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of South Dakota for its decision to pursue charges under the Unborn Victims of Violence Act — recognizing the value of every life lost as a result of this crime.”
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent and gun-related crime. The Department of Justice launched a supporting strategy in May 2021, focusing on community trust, strategic enforcement, and violence prevention.
The Major Crimes Act necessitated federal prosecution due to the crime's occurrence in Indian country. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case. McKenzie Big Crow was remanded to the U.S. Marshals Service.