United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Little Eagle, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for two counts of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer and Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender.
Charles Eagle Pipe, age 42, was indicted on March 15, 2017. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on March 21, 2017, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 8 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and up to $300 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The Indictment alleges that on March 29, 2015, and Jan. 19, 2017, Eagle Pipe assaulted two different officers with the Bureau of Indian Affairs, when the officers were assigned to perform law enforcement functions, and engaged in the performance of their official duties. The Indictment also alleges that on March 29, 2015, Eagle Pipe unlawfully committed a domestic assault upon his intimate partner, when at the time of the domestic assault, Eagle Pipe had a final conviction on at least two separate prior occasions for offenses that would have been, if subject to federal jurisdiction, an assault against a spouse of intimate partner.
The charges are merely accusations and Eagle Pipe is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Standing Rock Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley is prosecuting the case.
Eagle Pipe was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
