United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Child Abuse was sentenced on June 13, 2016, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Tate Luta Red Feather, age 25, was sentenced to 18 months in custody, followed by 2 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Red Feather was indicted for Child Abuse and Making False Statements to a Federal Agent by a federal grand jury on October 14, 2015. He pled guilty to Child Abuse on March 8, 2016.
On June 3, 2015, Red Feather was drinking and using marijuana with another adult and a teenager. At one point, the group took Red Feather’s vehicle and drove to the store to buy more alcohol, taking the defendant’s four-year-old son with them. They continued to consume alcohol as they drove around.
At approximately 6:20 pm, the group was traveling on BIA 1, south of St. Francis, in an area where the posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour. The teenager was driving, the adult was in the passenger seat, and Red Feather was in the back seat with his son. The vehicle was traveling at approximately 57 miles per hour when it came upon a curve, failed to negotiate the curve, overcorrected, and left the roadway before rolling multiple times.
Red Feather, the child, and the adult passenger were not wearing seat belts and were ejected from the vehicle. As a result of the wreck, the child suffered fractures to his skull and one closed rib fracture, and Red Feather suffered injuries to his head, neck, and left shoulder. The adult passenger died as a result of his injuries. Blood tests subsequently indicated both Red Feather’s and the teenager’s blood alcohol level to be above .10. The defendant’s blood test also indicated he had used marijuana.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk W. Albertson prosecuted the case.
Red Feather was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.