TRIBAL JUSTICE NEWS

WEEKS OF MAY 11 AND 18, 2010


Tribal-Led Task Force Dismantles Cocaine Ring in Heart of Tohono O’odham Nation (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona)

U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis K. Burke announced that the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department led a multi-jurisdictional task force on May 15, 2010, arresting 10 people and searching seven homes in this small rural community just a dozen miles north of the Mexican border.  The combined operation targeted a network of alleged cocaine dealers in the Sells, Ariz., area, home to the Tohono O’odham people, and was the largest drug enforcement action ever undertaken on the nation.  Police seized weapons – including an assault rifle – vehicles, and undetermined quantities of cash, cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press–releases/index.html

Jamelle Lynn Kennedy Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court (U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana) U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Michael W. Cotter announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, Mont., on May 14, 2010, Jamelle Lynn Kennedy pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.  On June 30, 2009, the Child Protective Services office of the Fort Peck Tribes received a report that J.K., age 6, was being beaten by her mother, Kennedy, at the family home.  A child protection visit was made that day and an investigation initiated. J.K. told medical personnel that she had fallen off of her bike and had not been hit with anything.  The treating physician indicated that the wounds were not accidental and had been intentionally inflicted.

http://saltlakecity.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/slc051410a.htm

South Dakota Woman Charged for Retaliation Against a Victim (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Alexis Exendine was charged with retaliation against a victim and was sentenced on May 14, 2010, to 30 months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.  On Nov. 1, 2009, Exendine saw the victim (in another crime situation) at a cash register in Big Bat’s in Pine Ridge, S.D.  She approached the victim from behind and attacked her.  The fight took place inside the convenience store, and two counter clerks witnessed the assault.  The assault was also caught on tape.  Exendine pled guilty to the charge on Feb. 23, 2010.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/Media.html

Dale Andrew Roundstone Sentenced in U.S. District Court (U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana) U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana Michael W. Cotter announced that Dale Andrew Roundstone, a 41-year-old resident of Lame Deer, was sentenced to 151 months in prison for kidnapping and assault resulting in serious bodily injury within the exterior boundaries of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation.      

http://saltlakecity.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/slc051410.htm

Two Sentenced for Looting Yakama Nation Cultural Site (U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington) U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington James A. McDevitt announced that Tiffany E. Larson and Devin W. Prouty, both of Goldendale, Wash., were sentenced on May 12, 2010, for damaging and removing archeological resources from an historic Yakama Nation site.  Both received sentences of two years probation and were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,690.08.  Larson and Prouty were also ordered to perform 150 hours of community service for the Yakama Nation and banned during the period of probation from going into Spearfish Park, located in Klickitat County, Wash. In Aug. 15, 2009, Larson and Prouty were encountered at Spearfish Park looking for arrowheads and collecting stone fragments which had artifact work on them.  Neither Larson nor Prouty had a permit for excavation of historic or prehistoric resources, or for removal of archaeological objects.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/wae/press–releases/2010/may10.html

Gila River Man Found Guilty of Kidnapping and Assault of Pregnant Girlfriend (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona)

U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis K. Burke announced that Phillip Gomez, of the Gila River Indian Community, was found guilty on May 12, 2010, of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon and kidnapping by a federal jury in Phoenix.  The evidence at trial showed that Gomez beat, kicked and punched his girlfriend for a period of three to four hours.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press–releases/index.html

South Dakota Man Sentenced for Abusive Sexual Contact (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced on May 11, 2010, that Carlton Bordeaux was charged with abusive sexual contact and was sentenced to 24 months in custody, five years of supervised release, $210.10 restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.  The charge relates to an incident of sexual contact with a child that occurred in May 2008 in Todd County, S.D.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/Media.html

Two Wyoming Men Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Aiding and Abetting (U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming)

U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming Christopher A. Crofts announced that on May 10, 2010, Louis YellowFox, age 25, and on May 12, 2009, Blaine YellowFox, age 21, both of Arapahoe Wyoming, Wind River Indian Reservation, were sentenced for a July 7, 2009, assault on the Wind River Indian Reservation.  Louis YellowFox was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $300 fine, and a $100 special assessment.  Blaine YellowFox was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, three years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/wy/pressrel/2010/index2010.html



South Dakota Man Sentenced for Assault (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced on May 10, 2010, that Corey Daniel Moran was charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and was sentenced to 24 months in custody, three years of supervised release, $2,014.30 in restitution, and a $100 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund.  The charges relate to an October 2009 assault on an Eagle Butte woman, which resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim, who was transported to the Rapid City Regional Hospital for treatment.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/Media.html

South Dakota Man Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement from an Indian Tribal Organization (U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota)

U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Wayland Yellow Earrings, aka Waylon Yellow Earrings, of Little Eagle, S.D. appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on May 10, 2010, and pled guilty to an indictment that charged him with embezzlement and theft from an Indian Tribal Organization.  The charges relate to Yellow’s embezzlement of more than $1,000 of money funds and assets that belonged to the Running Antelope District, a subdivision of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/sd/Media.html

Red Lake Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse, Failing to Register as a Sex Offender (U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota)

U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones announced that Jeremy Charles Wind was sentenced on May 10, 2010, to 87 month in prison for sexually abusing a woman physically unable to defend herself and failing to register as a sex offender.  As to the charge of sexual abuse, Wind admitted entering the victim’s bedroom on May 22, 2009, and proceeding to have sex with her, knowing she was incapable of declining participation or communicating unwillingness to engage in the sexual act.  In addition, Wind admitted that from October 2008 to May 2009, he was not properly registered as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Wind, a Tier II offender, has two previous convictions for fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/mn/major/major0566.pdf

Thirty Year Sentence for Sexual Abuse Charges (U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota) Acting U.S. Attorney Lynn Jordheim announced that on May 10, 2010, Kyle R. Decoteau, 26, of Belcourt, N.D., to 30 years in prison, the mandatory minimum sentence, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for aggravated sexual abuse of a child and abusive sexual contact.  Decoteau was found guilty by a federal jury on Jan. 21, 2010.  According to court documents, from December 2006 through September 2007 on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation, Decoteau engaged in sexual contact and sexual acts with two juvenile females.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/nd/pressreleases/2010/05-10-2010-Decoteau%20Sentenced.pdf

Floyd Yuselew Sentenced for Second Degree Murder (U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico) U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Kenneth J. Gonzalez announced that on May 7, 2010, Floyd Yuselew, 49, an enrolled member of the Zuni Tribe, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James O. Browning to 210 months in federal prison, to be followed by a term of supervised release.  Yuselew pleaded guilty on January 12, 2010, to second degree murder.  The offense occurred within the boundaries of the Zuni Pueblo Reservation.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/nm/pr/index.html

Tohono O’odham Tribal Member Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Abusive Sexual Contact (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona)

U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona Dennis K. Burke announced that Cecil Jose, 48, of Los Angeles, Calif., and a tribal member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, was sentenced on May 7, 2010, to nine years in prison by U.S. District Judge David C. Bury.  Jose had pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact on Sept. 24, 2009.  The facts showed that Jose sexually abused a nine year-old child by touching his private area.  The sentence includes a term of supervised release for life after Jose serves his prison term.  Also, defendant will be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to state and federal law.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/press–releases/index.html

Red Lake Man Charged with Intent to Commit Murder (U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota) U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones announced that Joseph Joshua Jackson, a 24-year-old Red Lake man, was charged on May 6, 2010, in federal court in St. Paul with the April 29, 2010, attempted murder of a woman on the Red Lake Indian Reservation.  A law enforcement affidavit filed in this case states that on April 29, the Red Lake Tribal Police Department responded to a call about a shooting victim near the Redby Post Office.  Upon arriving at the scene, authorities found the woman who had been shot in the right side of her torso. She subsequently identified Jackson as the perpetrator of the crime and was taken to the Red Lake Indian Health Service Hospital for medical treatment.

http://minneapolis.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/mp050610.htm

Patrick Talk and Kenneth Martinez Sentenced for Involuntary Manslaughter (U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico) U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico Kenneth J. Gonzalez announced that on May 6, 2010, Patrick Talk, 24, and Kenneth Martinez, 32, both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, were each sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Martha Vazquez to 60 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.  Talk and Martinez pleaded guilty on January 13, 2010, to involuntary manslaughter.  The offense occurred in Iyanbito, N.M., within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/nm/pr/index.html

Collins Ray Russell Sentenced in U.S. District Court (U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana) U.S. Attorney Michael W. Cotter announced that during a federal court session in Billings, Mont., on May 6, 2010, Collins Ray Russell, a 22-year-old resident of Billings, was sentenced to 72 months in prison in connection with his guilty plea to possession with the intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.  On March 1, 2009, law enforcement received information that Russell was driving from Billings toward the Northern Cheyenne Reservation with marijuana.  They were also provided a description of the car.  When the car arrived in Busby, law enforcement pulled over the car because another male occupant of the car had an outstanding tribal warrant for domestic violence.  In a search conducted after the arrests, a gun was found under the dashboard in the center between the passenger and driver.  In addition, about 1.5 pounds of marijuana were found in the trunk.

http://www.justice.gov/usao/mt/pressreleases/20100506103440.html