July 13 – STONE – A Dupree man faces life in prison after allegedly murdering a man in late June.
Stuart Cochran, Sr., 48, of Dupree, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of first-degree murder and one count of use of a firearm in a violent crime .
The indictment alleges that on June 25, within the boundaries of the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in Dewey County, Cochran, Sr. willfully, deliberately, and maliciously killed a man by shooting him with a handgun. fist. The indictment also alleges the shooting was premeditated.
In a July 11 appearance at the Pierre U.S. District Courthouse, Cochran, Sr., pleaded not guilty.
If convicted, Cochran, Sr., could face a maximum sentence of life in prison and be ordered to pay fines of up to $250,000. If he were to be sentenced to less than life in prison, he could face up to five years of probation after serving a prison sentence.
Cochran was taken into the custody of the US Marshals Service pending trial. A trial date has not been set.
The investigation is being conducted by Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement and the FBI, as part of the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Safe Neighborhoods Project, which is an evidence-based program for reduce violent crime.
Through the PSN, a wide range of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime issues in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, the PSN focuses its law enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with local prevention and rehabilitation programs for a lasting reduction in crime.
