Acting United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer was sentenced on Sept. 20, 2021, by Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court.
Kenton Romero, age 26, was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Romero was indicted for Assaulting a Federal Officer by a federal grand jury on April 13, 2021. He pled guilty on June 29, 2021.
The conviction stems from an incident on Aug. 3, 2020, when law enforcement attempted to make a traffic stop on Romero in Eagle Butte. When they approached the vehicle, Romero drove off and a pursuit ensued. Romero drove at a high rate of speed through a residential area. The vehicle Romero was driving made physical contact with one of the patrol vehicles involved in the pursuit. Romero also drove in an oncoming traffic lane towards another officer that was responding to the pursuit. Romero then left the community of Eagle Butte and headed westbound out of town on Highway 212. Finally, Romero maneuvered his vehicle to force an officer involved off the road and into the ditch. Romero did not stop voluntarily and was apprehended when his vehicle either ran out of gas or broke down.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case.
Romero 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
