St. Francis Man Charged with Assaulting a Federal Officer and Child Abuse

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a St. Francis, South Dakota, man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer, and Child Abuse.

Cameron Fanning, age 21, was indicted on August 13, 2019.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark A. Moreno on August 22, 2019, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  Restitution may also be ordered.

The Indictment alleges that on July 25, 2019, in Todd County, South Dakota, Fanning did forcibly assault, oppose, impede, intimidate, and interfere with two law enforcement officers who were employed by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, and that such conduct involved the use of a dangerous weapon.  The indictment further alleges that at the same time and place, Fanning did abuse, expose, torture, torment, and cruelly punish a child who had not attained the age of seven.

The charges are merely accusations and Fanning is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

The investigation is being conducted by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson is prosecuting the case.  

Fanning was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has not been set.