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Porcupine Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

Patrick Ross, 56, of Porcupine, South Dakota, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme that diverted over $4.7 million from the Oglala Sioux Tribe.

2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 27, 2026, 12:36 p.m. ET

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 27, 2026, 12:52 p.m. ET
Developing · checked 2h ago

This case is not concluded. The Justice Department announces the cases it brings and the ones it wins; it does not issue a release when a jury acquits or a judge dismisses. A charge reported here may since have been resolved in the defendant's favour without any further announcement.

We last searched for new coverage of this at Aug 27, 2026, 11:38 a.m. ET — checked 2h ago.

RAPID CITY – On August 27, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Dakota announced that Patrick Ross, 56, of Porcupine, South Dakota, was on August 24, 2026, to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,744,415.36 in restitution. Ross was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering. From November 2017 to May 2024, Ross, a former employee of the Oglala Sioux Tribe's Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO), and his co-defendant, Buffy Redfish, diverted TERO fee checks totaling more than $4.7 million into Ross's bank account, which he had opened for the scheme. The two split the funds and used them for personal benefit, including purchasing homes and vehicles. Redfish was previously to 78 months in custody. Ross was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson.

Earlier reports

  1. Aug 27, 2026, 12:36 p.m. ETFirst report

    Porcupine Man Sentenced to Over 6 Years for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering

    RAPID CITY – On August 27, 2026, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of South Dakota announced that Patrick Ross, 56, of Porcupine, South Dakota, was sentenced on August 24, 2026, to 78 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, and three counts of money laundering. U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler also ordered three years of supervised release and $4,744,415.36 in restitution.

    From November 2017 to May 2024, Ross, a former employee of the Oglala Sioux Tribe's Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO), and co-defendant Buffy Redfish diverted TERO fee checks totaling more than $4.7 million into Ross's bank account, which he had opened for the scheme. The two split the funds for personal use, including purchasing homes and vehicles. Redfish was previously sentenced to 78 months.

    U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons said, "There is no fraud too big, and no fraud too small, for the Department of Justice to prosecute. But this case is one of the big ones." FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson stated that Ross's sentencing "brings accountability for his role... in a years-long scheme that diverted more than $4.7 million from an Oglala Sioux Tribe program." The case was investigated by the FBI and the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson. Ross was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

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Revision history

  1. Version 127 Aug 2026, 16:52current

    First published.

  2. Version 127 Aug 2026, 16:36current

    First published.

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