United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, woman convicted of Larceny was sentenced on April 4, 2016, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Melissa Wolf Black, age 34, was sentenced to 15 months in custody, 2 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Wolf Black was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 10, 2015. She pled guilty on January 7, 2016.
The conviction arose from a June 26, 2015, incident involving Wolf Black and the Lindskov Motors Dealership in Eagle Butte. After Wolf Black expressed an interest in purchasing a pickup truck, an employee of Lindskov Motors gave her a test ride around town. Wolf Black was not allowed to drive because she appeared intoxicated. Sometime thereafter, while Wolf Black and the employee were back at the dealership, Wolf Black took the keys to the truck without permission. While Wolf Black was driving the truck later that evening, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal police officers stopped her for failure to stop at a red light. Wolf Black was intoxicated and told the officers she had purchased the vehicle earlier that day. The officers were unable to find the registration or proof of purchase in the truck.
Lindskov Motors confirmed that the vehicle, which was worth $37,000, had been taken without permission. Wolf Black admitted she had stolen the truck and had just been released from prison in May 2015 after serving time for stealing a different truck.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case.
Wolf Black was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
