Rosebud Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Involuntary Manslaughter

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota, woman convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter. The sentencing took place on October 26, 2026.

Crystal McCloskey, age 34, was sentenced to two years and four months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.

McCloskey was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026. She pleaded guilty on July 29, 2026.

On June 14, 2025, McCloskey was under the influence of alcohol and controlled substances and drove her vehicle at a high rate of speed. McCloskey missed a curve near Rosebud and drove off the road. The vehicle rolled, throwing McCloskey and her passenger out of the vehicle. The passenger died as a result of her injuries in the crash. The offense occurred in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation.

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 Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.

McCloskey was ordered to self-surrender to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on November 10, 2026.