Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

PIERRE, S.D. — U.S. Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Rosebud man convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on Dec. 19, 2023.

Jeffery Yellow Hawk, age 34, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Yellow Hawk was indicted by a federal grand jury in July of 2023.  He pleaded guilty on Oct. 23, 2023.

On the evening June 16, 2023, Yellow Hawk was operating a motor vehicle in the Rosebud area when he approached a sobriety checkpoint. Yellow Hawk performed an illegal U-turn to avoid the sobriety checkpoint and drove away. Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services officers pursued Yellow Hawk to his residence. Upon arrival to his residence, Yellow Hawk ignored commands from the pursuing officers and carried two firearms into his residence. Yellow Hawk subsequently brandished a loaded firearm at the officers. A short time later, Yellow Hawk exited the residence and was placed under arrest. A loaded shotgun and a loaded rifle were seized from the residence. Yellow Hawk will forfeit ownership of the firearms and ammunition.

This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results.

Yellow Hawk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

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