Assault and maiming charges have been filed against a Wanblee man accused of biting off a chunk of another man's lip.

Vern Standing Soldier, Jr., 25, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court to charges of maiming and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to federal court documents, the charges involve an incident at Wanblee on July 14 when Standing Soldier allegedly bit off part of the victim's lip.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. No trial date was set.

In other federal court news:

• Lyle Eagle Tail, 24, Wanblee, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Andrew Bogue to five years in prison and three years supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
• Jean Kane, 43, Running Springs, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Karen Schreier to 40 months in prison and three years supervised release for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Kane pleaded guilty to the charge, which involved a conspiracy to distribute meth during the summer of 2005.
• Lane Yellow Hawk, 32, Allen, was sentenced by Judge Bogue to 15 months in prison and two years supervised release for child abuse. Federal court documents show Yellow Hawk admitted to grabbing a small child's arm and twisting it, causing a fracture. Yellow Hawk pleaded guilty.
• Phillip Piper Jr., 24, Manderson, pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact, admitting that he had sexual contact with a child under 12 years old. The incidents happened in June 2007 at Manderson. The maximum penalty is life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Piper is in custody pending sentencing Jan. 6.
• Aaron Santisteven, 32, Rapid City, pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. He also admitted having a prior conviction for a felony drug offense. The charges involve Santisteven conspiring to distribute marijuana between July 2002 and November 2006, having been convicted and sentenced of a drug offense in Todd County on Feb. 18, 1997. The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. He is in custody pending sentencing Jan. 23.
• Cameron Dolphus, 18, Eagle Butte, pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in connection with the assault of an Eagle Butte man on June 15. The maximum penalty is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He was released on bond pending sentencing Jan. 23.
• Cory Fredericks, 38, Box Elder, pleaded not guilty to charges of distributing and possessing child pornography. Federal court documents show he is accused of possessing pornographic materials on his computer between August 2007 and August 2008. Distributing child pornography is punishable by a mandatory minimum of five years to a maximum of 20 years in prison. The possession charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison upon conviction. Fines are also possible. Fredericks was released on bond pending trial.
• Patricia Stevens, 54, Rapid City, pleaded not guilty to theft of mail matter and obstruction of correspondence. According to federal court documents, she is accused of stealing a birthday card containing a cash gift from a mailbox on Feb. 2, 2008. The card had been placed in the mailbox - which belonged to a local police officer - to be picked up by the mail carrier. The maximum penalty upon conviction is five years in prison for each count, plus fines or restitution. Stevens was released on bond. No trial date was set.

The U.S. District Court generally prosecutes felonies committed on reservations, while tribal courts handle misdemeanor crimes. Felonies that happen off the reservation are prosecuted in state/circuit court and are reported separately in the Journal. Some drug and firearms cases are also prosecuted in federal court.