United States Attorney Randolph J. Seiler announced that a Corn Creek, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Aiding and Abetting was sentenced on August 4, 2016, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.
Suni Wooden Knife, age 25, was sentenced to 37 months in custody, followed by 3 years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Wooden Knife was also ordered to forfeit U.S. currency that was seized by law enforcement in October 2014.
Wooden Knife was indicted for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury on March 10, 2015. Wooden Knife pled guilty to a Superseding Indictment charging Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Aiding and Abetting on February 1, 2016.
The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred on October 15, 2014, at the Rosebud Casino on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation, when Wooden Knife possessed and aided and abetted Leon Kills In Water in the possession of over 100 grams of methamphetamine, knowing that the methamphetamine was intended for further distribution. Along with the methamphetamine, over $6,000 in cash, believed to be proceeds from drug sales, was seized from Wooden Knife and Kills In Water at the Rosebud Casino.
Leon Kills In Water was previously sentenced on December 7, 2015, to 120 months in custody.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney SaraBeth Donovan prosecuted the case.
Wooden Knife was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.