FEBRUARY 2023:
U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has decided the punishment for a 37 year old man from Oglala convicted of Kidnapping, Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force, Interstate Domestic Violence, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Assault by Strangulation of a Dating Partner.
Jesse Sierra, a/k/a Jesse Sierro, was sentenced to Life imprisonment for Kidnapping and Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force. Sierra was also sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on the convictions for Interstate Domestic Violence, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Assault by Strangulation of a Dating Partner. Each of the sentences was ordered to run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay $500 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $8,395.79 in restitution.
Also sentenced for various offenses arising out of the same event was Jesse Sierra’s brother, 38 year old Dustin Sierra from Oglala. He must spend 10 years and one month in federal prison for Aiding and Abetting Kidnapping, and 10 years in federal prison to for Aiding and Abetting Interstate Domestic Violence. Both sentences were ordered to run concurrently. Sierra was ordered to serve five years of supervised release for the Aiding and Abetting Kidnapping charge and three years on the Aiding and Abetting Interstate Domestic Violence charge, to run concurrently. He was also ordered to pay $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The convictions related to Jesse Sierra and his brother, Dustin Sierra, traveling to the female victim’s place of employment in July of 2019 and convincing her to leave with them. When Dustin Sierra began driving the female to the Pine Ridge Reservation, Jesse Sierra wrapped his arm around her neck and strangled her until she became unconscious. Each time the female regained consciousness, Jesse Sierra strangled her again. Between July 13, 2019, and July 17, 2019, Jesse Sierra took the female to a number of locations on the Pine Ridge Reservation against her will. Jesse inflicted multiple physical and sexual assaults upon the female during the time he held her against her will. Around July 17, 2019, Dustin Sierra drove Jesse Sierra and the female to Chadron, Nebraska. Jesse Sierra then hid her in a motel in Crawford, Nebraska. On July 21, 2019, Jesse dropped her off at the emergency room in Chadron. Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies searched for the victim from July 14, 2019, until she was located at the Chadron hospital on July 21, 2019.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Rapid City Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Box Elder Police Department, Dawes County Sheriff’s Office, Chadron Police Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Sazama and Kelsey Blair prosecuted the case.
Both men were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
NOVEMBER 2022:
A federal trial jury has convicted Jesse Sierra, a/k/a Jesse Sierro, age 37, of Oglala of Kidnapping, two counts of Aggravated Sexual Abuse by Force, Interstate Domestic Violence, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Assault by Strangulation of a Dating Partner following a five-day federal trial in Rapid City.
The jury also convicted Jesse Sierra’s brother, Dustin Sierra, a/k/a Dustin Sierro, age 38, also of Oglala, of Kidnapping and Interstate Domestic Violence.
Evidence at the trial established Jesse Sierra traveled to the female victim’s place of employment in July 2019, and convinced her to leave with him and his brother, Dustin. When the Sierra brothers began driving the female to the Pine Ridge Reservation, then against her will, the female attempted to jump out of the vehicle. Jesse Sierra wrapped his arm around her neck and strangled her to a point of unconsciousness. Each time the female regained consciousness, Sierra strangled her again. Between July 13, 2019, and July 17, 2019, the Sierra brothers took the female to a number of locations on the Pine Ridge Reservation against her will. Jesse inflicted multiple physical and sexual assaults upon the female during the time he held her against her will. Around July 17, 2019, Dustin drove Jesse and the female to Chadron, Nebraska, and hid her in a motel. On July 21, 2019, Jesse dropped her off at the hospital in Chadron. Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies searched for the victim from July 14, 2019, until she was located at the Chadron hospital on July 21, 2019.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund for each count of conviction.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Rapid City Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Box Elder Police Department, Dawes CountySheriff’s Office, Chadron Police Department, and Nebraska State Patrol.
Presentence investigations were ordered and sentencing dates were set for January 27, 2023. The defendants were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Comments