Chamberlain man gets 8 months for stealing ceremonial pipe

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – A Chamberlain man has been sentenced to eight months in prison for stealing a ceremonial pipe from the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe.

Nineteen-year-old James Short Bear was indicted by a federal grand jury in February and pleaded guilty to larceny in March. He was sentenced earlier this week.

KCCR-AM reports Short Bear went into the tribe’s administration building in February of 2014 and stole a ceremonial pipe. The tribe had bought the pipe almost a decade ago for $5,500.

Authorities say Short Bear was caught on video and later sold the pipe for $500, claiming he made it himself.

Short Bear was turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service this week.