MAY 2022:
A 31 year old man from Harrold convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer has been sentenced in U.S. District Court.
Richard Barela must spend 84 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.
In January 2020, Barela was an inmate at the Yankton Community Work Center, a minimum security South Dakota Department of Corrections facility in Yankton. At the time, Barela was serving a sentence for possession of a controlled substance based on a conviction in Hughes County. On January 3, 2020, Barela escaped from YCWC and stole a vehicle belonging to DOC. A warrant was subsequently issued for his arrest.
On January 14, 2020, law enforcement received information that Barela was at a residence in Pierre. Law enforcement personnel from the U.S. Marshals Service, Hughes County Sheriff’s Office and Pierre Police Department proceeded to the residence to execute the arrest warrant. After receiving consent to search the residence, multiple law enforcement officers entered the residence to search for Barela. Barela was located in a basement bedroom, but he refused to surrender and barricaded himself in the bedroom.
Deputy U.S. Marshals engaged Barela in conversation in an attempt to convince him to surrender. Barela responded by telling the officers he would not go back to prison and that the officers would have to kill him to get him out of the basement. Barela also told the officers he had a knife, which he brandished, and he told them he would kill any law enforcement that attempted to take him into custody. After approximately four hours, law enforcement deployed tear gas into the bedroom in an effort to end the standoff. Barela subsequently exited the bedroom and was immediately taken into custody.
This case was investigated by the Pierre Area Joint Fugitive Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, Hughes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pierre Police Department.
Barela was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
MARCH 2020:
A 28-year-old man from Pierre has been indicted by a federal grand jury for Assaulting, Resisting and Impeding a Federal Officer and Influencing a Federal Officer by Threat.
Richard Barela pled not guilty.
The Indictment alleges on January 14, 2020, Barela did forcibly interfere with U.S. Marshals by using a knife, while the U.S. Marshals were engaged in the performance of their official duties. The Indictment further alleges during the incident, Barela threatened to murder the U.S. Marshals.
The maximum penalty if convicted is up to 20 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release and restitution may be ordered.
Barela was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
