Manitoba

Dakota Plains chief charged with sexual assault: Sask. RCMP

Dakota Plains Wahpeton First Nation Chief Donald Smoke has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with an incident in a Saskatchewan town last year, RCMP say.

Donald Smoke charged with 2 counts of sexual assault after incident in Saskatchewan last year

A man in a headdress speaks at a podium outside.
Dakota Plains Chief Donald Smoke speaks at an event in Portage la Prairie, Man., on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. He has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with a February 2024 incident in the town of Kindersley, Sask., RCMP say. (Travis Golby/CBC)

The hereditary chief of a southern Manitoba First Nation community is facing sexual assault charges.

Dakota Plains Wahpeton First Nation Chief Donald Smoke has been charged with two counts of sexual assault in connection with an incident last year, Saskatchewan RCMP said in an email Tuesday.

He was scheduled to appear in court that day.

The 53-year-old was arrested in Portage la Prairie, Man., in February, police said.

RCMP said the incident happened in February 2024 in the town of Kindersley, Sask., which is about 200 kilometres southwest of Saskatoon.

The victims were adult women, according to RCMP.

They said they would not release any more details about the incident for victim privacy reasons.

Dakota Plains First Nation is about 20 kilometres south of Portage la Prairie.