Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced the sentencing of McKenzie Big Crow from Porcupine, South Dakota. The sentence, issued by U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier, included a 12-year federal prison term followed by three years of supervised release. Big Crow was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, violating the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and possessing an unregistered firearm. He was also required to pay $300 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The indictment of Big Crow came from a federal grand jury in June 2024, and a guilty verdict was returned in January 2025 after a federal jury trial. The charges stem from an incident on August 20, 2023, near Porcupine, where Big Crow, possessing a modified Savage Arms Model 62 semiautomatic rifle, caused the death of Ashton Provost and her unborn child. The weapon, altered to resemble an AK-47, was fired by accident according to Big Crow's account, killing 19-year-old Provost. Investigators found the firearm hidden under Big Crow's bed. It was also revealed that Big Crow had drugs in his system that day, including marijuana, cocaine, MDMA, and methamphetamine.
Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis commented on the case, highlighting the involvement of the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. "We commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of South Dakota for its decision to pursue charges under the Unborn Victims of Violence Act — recognizing the value of every life lost as a result of this crime," Winston said. "This case highlights our shared commitment to justice for the most vulnerable and to holding violent offenders accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case forms part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aimed at reducing violent crime and enhancing community safety. The program's strategy, launched in May 2021, focuses on community trust, support for violence prevention organizations, strategic enforcement, and measuring outcomes.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the matter as part of the Major Crimes Act, which requires certain crimes in Indian territory to be tried in federal court. The investigation involved the FBI, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox handled the prosecution. Big Crow is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
