PIERRE, S.D. -- A Rosebud man who was firing a shotgun and harassing people on the Rosebud Indian Reservation and then led law officers on a dangerous high speed chase firing his weapons at those pursuing him has been sentenced to almost 14 years in prison.
Arthur James Burnette, also known as Cory Young, 25, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for assaulting a federal officer and 120 months for using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence. He must also pay $4,105 in restitution.
He was sentenced earlier this week by Judge Roberto Lange in Pierre.
According to U.S. Attorney Randy Seiler, on March 19 Burnette was with two women in St. Francis on the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation driving a stolen 1995 Honda Accord sedan and had a shotgun and ammunition with him in the vehicle. He was firing the shotgun off and harassing people, said court documents.
The disturbance was reported by a citizen to the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and officers responded and attempted to capture the defendant, who had outstanding tribal warrants.
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Burnette fled from the pursuing officers, fleeing into Nebraska at speeds of up to 98 miles per hour at times. He was observed hollering obscenities and extending his middle finger at the pursuing officers. He drove his vehicle in an evasive manner, which included leaving the roadway, recklessly passing other vehicles, as well as forcing other vehicles off the roadway, said the documents.
At one point, the defendant turned his vehicle around, extended his shotgun out the window and fired at a pursuing officer’s squad car. That officer was not hurt and called out over the radio that he had been fired upon.
At a different location, another officer stopped his patrol vehicle on a roadway, armed himself with a rifle, and exchanged gunfire with Burnette.
No one was injured in the exchange.
Burnette fled towards Kilgore and Crookston, Nebraska, and then to a different location on Highway 20 in Nebraska, and encountered more officers whom he also menaced with his shotgun. At a different location, he drove the stolen vehicle off the roadway and into a ditch, breaking the landowner’s fence. Burnette was arrested at the scene.
Burnette was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to serve his sentence after his sentencing this past week.
