Mitakuyapi
A ring of sixty loyal supporters have offered praise and protection for self-styled reservation guru and convicted child molester, Jerry R. Farlee. At his trial in Pierre, SD on January 4, 2011, Farlee’s followers wrote letters of support to a federal judge asking for mitigation of sentence for his conviction on two counts of sexual contact with children. Subsequently, Farlee received ten years and one month in prison and, with parole, could be back among our children in eight years.
Farlee testified to and was convicted of sexual contact with two of his granddaughters beginning when they were six years old and lasting over an eight year period. Yet, sixty people, several of them prominent residents of our Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation communities, want Farlee set free to continue preying among our innocent young Lakota girls.
Three courageous young Lakota women stood up to protect and defend themselves and their little sisters against the evil monster who violated their bodies and spirit, while countless other victims cried out from the shadows. These three sacrificed their peace, privacy and family harmony to make this reservation safer for all of our children and grandchildren. Yet, our children are still vulnerable to Farlee’s wickedness as many in his ring who openly supported this confessed child molester are still in positions of public authority over and easy access to our Lakota children.
Some Farlee followers who support his sexual predation of our Lakota children are two high ranking CEB school officials, Dr. Cherie Farlee (his aunt), who oversees all reservations schools and students and her ex-husband, Don Farlee (his uncle), principal at Tiospaye Topa in LaPlant, SD; IHS Physician Dr. Scharayard Gray; former the West River Eagle editor and present UCC minister, Pauline Webb; and Eagle Butte City Policeman, Norman Schuler.
Mitakuyapi, apparently these people think that it is acceptable for Jerry Farlee to terrify, violate and rape little Lakota girls who are barely out of their infancy. They have betrayed the public trust and authority that we have given them and seem indifferent or oblivious to the threat Farlee poses and thus they constitute a danger to the spiritual, mental, physical and cultural well being of our Lakota children.
Furthermore, as paid guardians and protectors of our children these people should be well aware that the recidivism rate (the frequency of additional sexual crimes after being caught) among sexual predators is very high. Studies among incarcerated sex offenders show that child molesters remain at risk to reoffend long after their release and that given polygraph tests 23 men revealed an average of 175 victims each. Still these public officials would allow Jerry Farlee free rein among our Lakota children.
Farlee’s followers as educators, health providers, ministers and law officers should be guided by these facts in all their decisions, whether public or private, and be ever mindful of the message their actions send to our people, especially our children. Yet, they support a confessed child molester as opposed to our Lakota children who are in their care and control and at their mercy.
Therefore, we ask you in a most humble and sincere way to please join us in seeking justice and safety for our Lakota children by signing the attached petitions that call for those officials, who begged for leniency for convicted child molester Jerry R. Farlee, to be immediately removed from their positions of public trust and authority.
mitakuye oyasin

PETITION

We, the members the Cheyenne River Lakota Tribe and supporters, fearing the endangerment of Lakota children, demand the immediate removal of Dr. Cherie Farlee as CEB Education Line Officer and from any position of public trust and authority permitting influence over and access to our Lakota children.    Dr. Farlee wrote a letter in support of mitigation of sentence for confessed and convicted child molester Jerry R. Farlee at his sentencing trial in federal court on January 4, 2011.  Thus, demonstrating extreme bad moral judgment and lack of regard and respect for the spiritual, mental, physical and the cultural well being of the Lakota children that have been entrusted to her care.    Dr. Farlee has violated the faith and confidence that the Lakota people have placed in her, and United States Bureau of Indian Education, to provide a quality education in the safest learning environment possible; to manifest consideration of the whole person, taking into account the spiritual, physical and cultural aspects of the person within family and tribal contexts; and to be a person of good moral character..