A federal jury in Pierre, South Dakota, has found Joseph Lafferty, 68, of Eagle Butte guilty of threatening a federal official. The verdict was delivered on January 23, 2026, after a three-day trial.
Lafferty was charged with making threats against an employee of the Indian Health Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. According to evidence presented at trial, Lafferty threatened to get his gun and kill the official on July 21, 2025. The incident occurred in Eagle Butte, located within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation.
The maximum penalty for this offense includes up to six years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. Additional penalties may include three years of supervised release and up to two more years in prison if conditions of release are violated. There is also a mandatory $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund, and restitution may be ordered.
Lafferty was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025.
U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons commented on the outcome: “This jury verdict should send a clear message. We take threats of violence against public officials very seriously and they will be investigated and swiftly prosecuted under the full force of the law.”
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation has been ordered, with sentencing set for April 20, 2026. Lafferty remains released pending sentencing.
