Alison J. Ramsdell U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota
A federal jury in Pierre, South Dakota, has found Joseph Lafferty, 68, of Eagle Butte, guilty of threatening a federal official. The verdict was delivered on January 23, 2026, after a three-day trial.
Lafferty was charged with making threats against an employee of the Indian Health Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. According to evidence presented at trial, on July 21, 2025, Lafferty threatened to get his gun and kill the official while in Eagle Butte on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation.
U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons commented on the outcome: “This jury verdict should send a clear message. We take threats of violence against public officials very seriously and they will be investigated and swiftly prosecuted under the full force of the law.”
The charge carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. It also includes three years of supervised release; violating conditions could result in up to two additional years in custody upon revocation. A $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund is also required. Restitution may be ordered.
Lafferty was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. The investigation involved both the FBI and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation has been ordered, with sentencing set for April 20, 2026. Lafferty remains released pending sentencing.
