{KXLG – Watertown, SD} Following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Anfernee Rondeau, 28, of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, has been found guilty of Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The jury returned its verdict on May 22, 2025.
The conviction carries a severe penalty, including a mandatory minimum of 30 years up to a lifetime in federal custody, a potential fine of up to $250,000, a minimum of five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
A federal grand jury formally indicted Rondeau in October 2024.
Evidence presented during the trial detailed the events of the evening of April 4, 2024. According to the evidence, Rondeau, his girlfriend, and her 6-year-old daughter returned home after an evening of drinking. Both adults were reportedly intoxicated. Rondeau, his girlfriend, and the child went into a bedroom. Shortly thereafter, a 13-year-old witness heard the child crying. Upon checking on the child, the witness “observed Rondeau on top of the child. Rondeau’s pants were partially unzipped and pulled down. The child’s pants and underwear were pulled down.” The 13-year-old witness intervened, pushing Rondeau off the child, wrapping the child in a blanket, and taking her to another family member in the house. Tribal authorities arrested Rondeau the following day.
The Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen served as the prosecutor.
Following the conviction, a presentence investigation has been ordered, and a sentencing date will be determined later. Rondeau has been remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
