United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, man was charged in federal district court with Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury.
Lester Waters Jr. was charged on Jan. 29, 2018. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on Feb. 2, 2018, and pleaded not guilty to the charge. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years of imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charge relates to Waters shooting two men near Pine Ridge on Jan. 25, 2018. The charge is merely an accusation and Waters is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Pubic Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Collins is prosecuting the case.
Waters was detained pending further hearing. A trial date has not been set.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
