A jury in Rapid City, South Dakota has found Franklin Long Black Cat, 32, of Pine Ridge, guilty of assaulting a federal officer and making threats to murder federal officers. The verdict was delivered on January 29, 2026, after a two-day trial in federal district court.
According to United States Attorney Ron Parsons, the charges stem from an incident on November 18, 2025. At that time, Long Black Cat was being held by the United States Marshals Service at the federal courthouse in Rapid City for a court hearing. During this custody, he spit in the face of one Deputy United States Marshal and threatened to shoot two others.
Long Black Cat had been indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2025.
The maximum sentence for the assault charge is eight years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. Each threat charge carries up to ten years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. All three charges also include up to three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
The FBI conducted the investigation into this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted it.
A presentence investigation has been ordered. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. The defendant remains in custody with the U.S. Marshals Service.
