Fargo – On April 14, 2025, Austin Ray Lester from Tokio, North Dakota, entered a guilty plea in United States District Court. He admitted to charges of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of child neglect, and assault of a child with a dangerous weapon, all occurring in Indian country. The proceedings took place before Chief Judge Peter Welte, and Lester's sentencing is set for August 5, 2025.
These charges stem from a case dating back to August 2022, involving the neglect and death of a three-year-old child on the Spirit Lake Reservation. A co-defendant, Krissy Louise Hinsley, faces similar charges and will have her change of plea and sentencing hearing on July 28, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation, and prosecution was managed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of North Dakota, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori H. Conroy handling the case.
