A federal jury has found Shane Bruguier, 47, of Eagle Butte guilty of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.
Prosecutors said the abuse occurred between January and November 2015 on the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. The victim was 8 years old at the time.
The conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in federal prison and could result in life imprisonment, along with fines, supervised release and possible restitution. Because the crime falls under the Major Crimes Act, it was prosecuted in federal court and was part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative.
The case was investigated by the FBI and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen. A sentencing date has not yet been set, and Bruguier remains in federal custody pending sentencing.
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