United States Attorney Dennis R. Holmes announced that a Porcupine, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Involuntary Manslaughter and False Statements.
Cassian Richards, age 19, was indicted on March 1, 2022. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daneta Wollmann on March 7, 2022, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is eight years in federal prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, up to life of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The charges relate to Richards killing another person in February 2022. The charges are merely accusations and Richards is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Sazama is prosecuting the case.
Richards was released from custody pending trial. A trial date has been set for May 10, 2022.
