Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced the conviction of Frank Long Black Cat, 31, from Pine Ridge, South Dakota. A jury found him guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon in a federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota, following a trial spanning two days. The jury delivered their verdict on April 9, 2025.
Following this conviction, Long Black Cat may face up to ten years in custody and a $250,000 fine. Additionally, there could be three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. The court may also order restitution.
The indictment for Long Black Cat came from a federal grand jury in January 2025. During the trial, evidence presented showed Long Black Cat used a knife to stab another individual multiple times on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.
The procedure fell under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Attorney’s Office due to the Major Crimes Act. This federal statute necessitates that certain violent crimes in Indian Country be prosecuted federally rather than at the state level.
The case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Schroeder and Megan Poppen conducted the prosecution.
A presentence investigation has been ordered, with sentencing scheduled for July 14, 2025.
