Eagle Butte Man Convicted of Sexual Abuse

RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Emanual Semon, age 24, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, of Sexual Abuse Without Consent and Sexual Abuse of a Minor, following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on May 7, 2026.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of any term of years up to life in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

Semon was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024.

The convictions stem from an incident that occurred at a residence in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in July 2024. At trial, the evidence established that on the afternoon of July 3, 2024, Semon engaged in sexual activity with a juvenile female without her consent. Semon stopped when an adult entered the room and interrupted him.

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.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices and the DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Semon was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.