A Box Elder woman has been sentenced to federal prison for her involvement in an assault on the Pine Ridge Reservation. U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler sentenced Samatha Wright, 27, to one year and six months in federal prison. This will be followed by three years of supervised release. Additionally, Wright was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The charges against Wright included Discharge of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime of Violence, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. She was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 and pleaded guilty on March 21, 2025.
The incident originated from a domestic dispute between Wright and her then-husband within the Pine Ridge Reservation. During the altercation, Wright shot her husband three times with a handgun, causing serious bodily injury.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office under the Major Crimes Act, which requires certain violent crimes in Indian Country to be tried in federal court rather than state court.
The investigation was conducted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth led the prosecution efforts.
Following sentencing, Wright was remanded into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service.
