LAKE TRAVERSE, SD – United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that two males and one female have been indicted by a federal grand jury for three counts of aggravated assault, maiming, and robbery.
Tiffany Bernard, age 28, and Randall Delbert Pumpkinseed, age 31, were indicted on October 6, 2020. Each appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on October 15, 2020, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.
Brendon Javon Jacob Rodlund, age 31, was indicted on the same day. He is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge William D. Gerdes on December 14, 2020, and is expected to plead not guilty to the Indictment.
The Indictment alleges that during the night between November 16 and 17, 2015, Rodlund, Bernard, and Pumpkinseed, while aiding and abetting each other, assaulted the victim in an effort to rob the victim of property and things of value. Each defendant was charged with the following: assault with intent to commit murder; maiming the victim; robbery; assault with a dangerous weapon; assault resulted in serious bodily injury.
A conviction for assault with intent to commit murder and maiming each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison; robbery carries a maximum penalty of 15 years; assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years. Each count also carries a $250,000 fine, or both fine and imprisonment, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges are merely accusations and Rodlund, Bernard, and Pumpkinseed are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.
Rodlund is currently in federal prison and being transported to South Dakota to make his appearance in court on these charges. Bernard and Pumpkinseed are to be arraigned on October 19 and October 21, 2020, and each are currently detained. A trial date has not been set.