A Pine Ridge man has pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy charges for helping to sell more than 3.5 kilograms of cocaine on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

Ferris White Bull, 31, admitted his role in an organization headed by Lawrence Vigil that distributed cocaine on the reservation for six years, beginning in 2002 and ending in 2008.

According to federal court documents, Vigil's organization included but was not limited to White Bull, Lyle Wilson, Darrel Saucedo, Tyler Eagle Bull, Joe Brewer, Brandon Ecoffey, Collins Clifford Jr., Leslie Oldson, Les Oldson, Albert Broken Rope and Robert Pond.

Cocaine was brought from Denver to the reservation.

White Bull entered his guilty plea before Chief U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier. He could be sentenced to five to 40 years at his sentencing in January.

White Bull remains in the U.S. Marshal's custody.

In other federal court action:

• Fernando Fabian White Butterfly, 24, Pine Ridge, has pleaded guilty to a federal indictment charging him with sexual abuse of a girl younger than 16 in 2008. The potential maximum penalty White Butterfly could receive is 15 years in prison. He remains in the U.S. Marshal's custody pending sentencing in January.
• Kendra Warrior, 23, Pine Ridge, has pleaded not guilty to a federal grand jury's indictment charging her with involuntary manslaughter and abuse of a minor child for the death of a child younger than 7 on July 11. Warrior entered her plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy. If convicted, Warrior could receive potential maximum sentences of eight years for involuntary manslaughter and 15 years for abuse of a minor child.

Warrior was remanded to the U.S. Marshal's custody. No trial date has been set.

• John Bissonette, 37, Pine Ridge, has pleaded not guilty to a federal grand jury indictment charging him with abuse of a minor child on July 11. If convicted, Bissonette faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. He remains in the U.S. Marshal's custody pending trial.
• Raymond Anthony Clifford, 49, Kyle, pleaded not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica Duffy to a six count federal grand jury indictment charging him with abusive sexual contact of a child and aggravated sexual abuse of a child for incidents occurring in 1999 and from 2002 to 2006 in Kyle. If convicted, Clifford faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for abusive sexual contact. Aggravated child abuse carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison up to life. Clifford is in the U.S. Marshal's custody pending trial.
• Manny Clifford, 18, Kyle, appeared before Judge Schreier and pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with assault with a dangerous weapon.

Federal court documents indicate Clifford assaulted another with an aluminum baseball bat, causing a facial cut that required about 25 stitches. Clifford faces a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. He remains in the U.S. Marshal's custody until sentencing in January.

• James Ray Droppers, 29, Belle Fourche, has admitted conspiring with others to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in Spearfish during the summer of 2008. Droppers could be sentenced to up to 40 years in prison. He is in the U.S. Marshal's custody until his November sentencing.
• George Chase Alone, 24, Manderson, pleaded not guilty to a federal grand jury charge of assault with a dangerous weapon, aiding and abetting and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Chase Alone is accused of joining others in an April attack on another man with a knife and a padlock in a sock. Chase Alone is in the U.S. Marshal's custody until a trial date is set. If convicted he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
• Dayton Nordstrom, 20, Mitchell was sentenced to 37 months in prison, three years supervised release and ordered to pay a $500 fine for conspiring to distribute cocaine in Rapid City and South Dakota between 2005 and 2009. Nordstrom had previously pleaded guilty to the charge. He was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

The United States Attorney generally prosecutes in federal court 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.

All charges carry the possibility of fines up to $250,000 upon conviction unless otherwise noted.