United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that a Corson County, SD, man was sentenced to 47 months of imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange. Alexander James Oka was sentenced to federal prison following his convictions by a federal jury in Aberdeen, SD, for Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender and for Tampering with a Victim. Oka also served four additional months in tribal custody.
According to court documents and evidence produced at trial, on July 5, 2017, Oka unlawfully committed a domestic assault upon the victim, when at the time of the domestic assault, Oka had a final conviction of at least two separate prior occasions, for offenses that would have been, if subject to federal jurisdiction, an assault against a spouse and intimate partner. During this assault, Oka smacked the victim’s head and then kicked the victim in the back while she was not looking and while she was feeding the baby she shares with Oka. The kick caused the victim significant pain and bodily injury. After being arrested for the assault, Oka sent a letter from jail to the victim instructing her not to cooperate and not to show-up for court proceedings. Oka had been previously convicted in multiple cases of domestic abuse. These prior convictions took place in tribal and federal court.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Oka was immediately remanded to custody to continue serving his sentence.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
