Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe elder accused of threatening lives of federal officers

Lafferty is also facing charges in tribal court for terroristic threats and violating a court order, according to an incident report from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. The report states that on July 21, Lafferty walked into a behavioral health center and told a staff member he was upset with the Tribal Council. Then, claiming to have a gun, he threatened to kill specific tribal council members and a federal official, according to the report.

The report is the latest of three filed against Lafferty. The first was filed after a Feb. 6 incident at the Lakota Cultural Center in Eagle Butte during a Tribal Council meeting. When the council wanted to have a closed executive session, Lafferty reportedly claimed the council members were walking off the job and violating the rights of tribal members.

He then smacked the table with a symbolic cultural “whip” and began shouting, according to the report. Council members then took the whip and restrained him. When the tribal police officer arrived on the scene, council representatives were holding Lafferty down. One council member told the officer that Lafferty had kicked him in the face.

The altercation unfolded in the Lakota Cultural Center where poster boards along the periphery of the room promoted messages of what it means to be Lakota: Ohokicilapi. Respecting One Another. Okiciyapi. Help One Another. Wotakuye. Kinship.

Some tribal members on social media had a different outlook of what occurred.

A video showing Lafferty smacking the whip against the table, then being restrained and kicking his legs was posted to Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.

“In a display of criminalization of his traditional whipman role, Council representatives assaulted Mr. Lafferty—body slamming him against a table, leaving him hospitalized after,” according to a Facebook post by a grassroots community group.

In another post, the group said the incident sparked debate regarding respecting traditional values, freedom of speech and protesting closed executive tribal council meetings.

In the video, people can be heard shouting, “Leave him alone, he is a heart patient.”

The tribe did not respond to requests for comment regarding the incidents or closed session practices.

Tribal police arrested Lafferty and escorted him out of the meeting. He faced seven charges as a result of the incident, including aggravated assault, terroristic threats and abuse of an elder or disabled adult, according to the incident report. As a condition of his release from custody, the tribal judge asked him not to return to council meetings and to stay away from council members.

According to the second incident report, Lafferty returned to a council meeting on March 4 and sat directly behind a council member he had previously threatened. He then grabbed the council member’s leg and made a “threatening noise.” He was charged with a court order violation.

The third incident report — the one from July — states that Lafferty threatened the lives of four tribal council members and Indian Health Services employee Justin Keckler. According to the report, Lafferty also threatened Jeri Vines, a U.S. Department of the Interior employee, on May 30 at the BIA office.

A press release from the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe said Lafferty was arrested by tribal police on Aug. 15 and released the following day on a $500 bond. The release also includes a list of Lafferty’s charges.

The Hughes County Sheriff said the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Lafferty on Aug. 16. His first federal court hearing took place on Aug. 18.

In addition to reaching out to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Council, Buffalo’s Fire requested comments from the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota and Lafferty’s federal defense attorney, Tim Maher. No one responded.