Roberts County Man Sentenced to Nearly 5 Years for Aggravated Assault of Girlfriend

United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a Roberts County, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon was sentenced on November 18, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.

John Matthew Pilcher, age 49, was sentenced to 59 months of federal custody, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.  He was ordered to pay $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. 

According to court documents, on November 10, 2018, Pilcher assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, namely, a knife, with the intent to do bodily harm.  Pilcher and the victim were in a dating relationship.  At some point on the night of November 10, they got into a verbal disagreement.  In the midst of their argument, Pilcher pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in the neck.  Defendant acted with specific intent to assault the victim with the knife.

The victim was transported to the local hospital and then to Sanford Hospital in Fargo, North Dakota, where she underwent surgery to receive critical care for life-threatening trauma caused by the stabbing.  The victim’s neck arteries and veins were lacerated, including a very small cut to her jugular vein.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.  

Pilcher was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.