Lake Andes Man Sentenced for Domestic Assault by an Habitual Offender

Ambrose Arlen Rouse, age 48, was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100.

Rouse was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 17, 2020.  He pled guilty on March 22, 2020.

The conviction stemmed from an incident on or about June 11, 2020 in Lake Andes, South Dakota.  Rouse and his wife were in their residence drinking.  At some point Rouse and his wife began arguing, and Rouse struck his wife in the head with her own walking cane and caused bodily injury to her.  The assault was not done in self-defense, nor was it otherwise legally justified.  At the time of this domestic assault, Rouse had at least two final convictions for offenses involving assaults against a spouse or intimate partner.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yankton Sioux Law Enforcement.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman prosecuted the case.

Rouse was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.