Fort Thompson Man Sentenced to 17 Years in Federal Prison for Second Degree Murder

PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons, announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Fort Thompson man convicted of Second-Degree Murder. The sentencing took place on July 29, 2026. Jami Johnson, Jr., age 19, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Johnson was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 30, 2026. During the early morning hours of August 11, 2025, a group of young adults attended an outdoor gathering near Lower Brule, South Dakota. Among those in attendance were Jami Johnson and the victims. An argument broke out and Johnson and another person – who later took his own life - produced firearms and fired in the direction of victim 1, striking him in the head and killing him instantly. A second victim, who was not involved in the argument, was struck in the neck and mortally wounded. The offense occurred in the Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservation. “This was a horrifying and senseless act of violence that has shaken the community,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Two bright young lives were taken, and no courtroom outcome can restore what was stolen from these families. We share their grief and the hollow space that remains. This sentence cannot heal those wounds, but it is our hope that it may offer them some measure of justice and, in time, a measure of peace.” This matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of victims and their families despite the passage of time. This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Person Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Great Plains Troy R. Morley and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan N. Dilges prosecuted the case. Johnson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.