A man from Parmelee, South Dakota, has been sentenced to nearly 18 years in federal prison for sexual abuse. U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte handed down the sentence to Curtis New Holy, age 34, on February 24, 2026.
New Holy received a sentence of 17 years and eight months in federal prison. He will also serve five years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The case began after New Holy was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 4, 2025.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on August 4, 2024, within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Early that morning, New Holy offered a ride home to a 12-year-old girl who had been drinking alcohol and was intoxicated. He then engaged in sexual activity with her while she was intoxicated and semi-conscious.
“This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court,” according to the press release.
The prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The project coordinates efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to investigate and prosecute offenders and assist victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The investigation was conducted by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson led the prosecution.
New Holy was immediately taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service following sentencing.
