St. Francis woman sentenced for assault with a dangerous weapon

PARMELEE, S.D. - A St. Francis woman has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for assaulting a juvenile with a sharp object.

Viola Boneshirt, 21, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon on Feb. 7, 2025. She was sentenced this month to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, the assault happened on Sept. 11, 2023, while Boneshirt was socializing with a juvenile and others at a home in Parmelee. During the gathering, Boneshirt became angry and began fighting with the juvenile. She then used a sharp object to cut the victim’s leg, causing a severe laceration that required multiple stitches. Boneshirt fled the scene after the assault.

She was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024.