Prison, restitution ordered for ex-tribal leader convicted of defrauding Oglala Sioux Tribe

A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a former South Dakota tribal leader to nearly two years in prison and about $82,000 in restitution after a jury convicted him in April of defrauding his tribe.

RAPID CITY, SD — A federal judge on Thursday sentenced a former South Dakota tribal leader to nearly two years in prison and tens of thousands in restitution after a jury convicted him earlier this year of defrauding his tribe.

Former Oglala Sioux Tribal President Julian Bear Runner, 39, of Batesland, was convicted in April of six cases of bank fraud, theft and embezzlement. In 2022, a federal indictment alleged that Bear Runner submitted vouchers when he was president in 2019 and 2020 for official trips to other states that he did not take, and received approximately $80,000 in checks, which authorities said he cashed in for his personal use, including gambling and hotel stays.

U.S. District Judge Linda Reade sentenced Bear Runner to 22 months in prison on each count, with three years of supervised release. He must also pay about $82,000 in restitution to the tribe.

Bear Runner’s public defender did not immediately respond to a phone message or email seeking comment. Tribal President Frank Star Comes Out did not immediately respond to a phone message or text message seeking comment.