A former economic development official and spiritual leader on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation has pleaded guilty to drug charges.

35-year old Jerome Lebeaux faces up to 11 years in prison when sentenced March 18 on charges of possession of a controlled substance and driving under the influence of a controlled substance. He remains held without bail in the Pennington County jail.

Lebeaux was the cultural coordinator for Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation when arrested January 21, but Thunder Valley executive director Nick Tilson said Monday that he was no longer an employee.

Lebeaux founded the Thunder Valley Sun Dance, a focal point for cultural revitalization among families in the northern part of the Pine Ridge Reservation. He had also been a vocal opponent of gangs and drugs, warning of their negative impact on the reservation.