Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange of the U.S. District Court has sentenced Ethan Schnitker, a 41-year-old man from Mankato, Minnesota, to two years in federal prison for abusive sexual contact. The sentencing occurred on June 30, 2025.
Following his prison term, Schnitker will undergo five years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2023 and pleaded guilty on March 13, 2025.
The conviction relates to an incident on October 3, 2021, in Gregory County, South Dakota, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Schnitker had unauthorized sexual contact with a minor while responsible for her care during their visit to the area.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project involves federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims. More information can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The FBI and Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted it. Schnitker was immediately placed into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
