United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a McLaughlin, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on Nov. 21, 2013, by U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes.
Rhonda Brown, age 41, was sentenced to four months, 1 year of supervised release and a $25 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brown was indicted for the above charge by a federal grand jury on July 17, 2013. She pled guilty to a Superseding Information on Nov. 21, 2013.
The conviction stems from an incident occurring on July 10, 2013, in which Brown’s car was stuck in a ditch. When law enforcement arrived, she became belligerent and fled the scene. A Bureau of Indian Affairs Officer Lieutenant located Brown in a field, but Brown ignored his commands and began to run away. The Lt. gave pursuit on foot and after a short chase, caught up to Brown who was lying face down with her hands underneath her. He ordered Brown to place her hands behind her back, but she continued to resist. The Lt. then grabbed Brown’s elbow, and she rolled on her left side, exposing a knife in her right hand. After several failed attempts to get Brown to comply, the Lt. deployed his taser, striking Brown on the shoulder.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
