United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation and Assaulting, Resisting, Opposing, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on July 26, 2017, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Allen Garreau, age 33, was sentenced to 42 months in custody, 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100 for the Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation count. Garreau was sentenced to 18 months in custody, 3 years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100 for the Assault on a Federal Officer count.
Garreau was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 19, 2016. He pled guilty on April 17, 2017.
On July 11, 2016, Garreau went to the apartment of Michelle Black Tail to spend time with their son. Black Tail Deer allowed Garreau inside of the apartment but he began making sexual advances towards her, which she rebuffed. Garreau became angry and assaulted Black Tail Deer. Garreau grabbed Black Tail Deer by the hair, threw her to the floor, kicked her, punched her in the face, and then began to strangle her. Black Tail Deer lost consciousness. Garreau stayed at the apartment all night. The next morning, he attempted to prevent her from going to work. Black Tail Deer was able to get away from Garreau when a co-worker came to the apartment to pick her up for work.
Black Tail Deer was taken to the hospital and the police were called. After taking a report from her, Officers with the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Police Department went to the apartment to make contact with Garreau. Garreau refused to open the door for the officers, and a maintenance worker had to unlock the apartment. Once inside, the officers found Garreau sitting on a bed in one of the bedrooms. He had a blanket pulled up over him and he had his arms around two small children. The officers made repeated requests for him to put the children down, to get up, and to walk out, but Garreau refused. When one of the officers attempted to approach Garreau, he told the officer that he needed to back up. The officer asked Garreau if he had anything or anything dangerous in his hands. Garreau told the officer words to the effect of “come find out."
After several minutes of talking, Garreau stood up, showed his hands, and walked towards the officers. As the officers attempted to take him into custody, Garreau began to struggle with them. The officers were eventually able to take Garreau into custody.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Garreau 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
