A federal jury in Rapid City has found Oliver Brown Bull, 37, of Kyle, South Dakota, guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. The verdict was delivered on December 4, 2025, after a three-day trial in U.S. District Court.
Brown Bull had been indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025 on two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon. He was convicted for the assault of one victim but acquitted regarding another.
According to court proceedings, the incident occurred on January 31, 2025, within the Pine Ridge Reservation. Brown Bull assaulted another man by pushing him to the ground and punching him several times in the face before kicking him. The victim sustained significant injuries including a broken eye socket, laceration around his eye, two broken nasal bones, and severe bruising. The victim continued to experience pain and disfigurement at the time of trial.
United States Attorney Ron Parsons stated that prosecution took place under the Major Crimes Act. This federal statute requires that certain violent crimes occurring in Indian country be prosecuted at the federal level rather than by state authorities.
The case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder led the prosecution.
A presentence investigation has been ordered and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. In the meantime, Brown Bull remains in custody with the U.S. Marshals Service.
