TRIBAL JUSTICE NEWS WEEK OF AUGUST 10, 2010

Arizona Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona) U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke announced on Aug. 9, 2010, that Marshall Joe, 31, of Fort Defiance, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 56 months in federal prison followed by eight years of supervised release. Joe pleaded guilty on March 23, 2010, to sexually abusing the victim while she was sleeping. The sexual abuse occurred on June 29, 2009, on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.

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

Oklahoma Man Charged with Manslaughter and Assault (U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma) U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats announced on Aug. 9, 2010, that a federal grand jury indictment was unsealed charging Ricky Charles Howard Hoover Jr. 27, from Indiahoma, Okla., with involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting serious bodily injury.  According to the indictment, on April 15, 2010, while on Indian land in Comanche Country, Hoover operated a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and Lortab (a pain reliever) and assaulted Kenneth Kowena, an Indian, which resulted in the death of Mr. Kowena.

www.justice.gov/usao/okw/index.html

Oklahoma Man Sentenced for Assaulting a Tribal Police Officer (U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma) U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats announced on Aug. 6, 2010, that Sonny Ray Haze, 28, of Red Rock, Okla., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti to 18 months in federal prison for assaulting a tribal police officer using a car and causing serious bodily injury,.  In addition, Judge DeGiusti ordered Haze to serve two years supervised release after being released from prison and pay restitution in the amount of $7,208.37.  Evidence at trial showed that shortly after 1:00 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2009, Haze, while at the 7 Clans Paradise Casino near Red Rock in Noble County, used a car to assault a police officer with the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Police Department.

www.justice.gov/usao/okw/index.html

Oklahoma Man Charged with Staging Fake Armed Robbery to Steal From Tribe (U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma)

U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats announced on Aug. 6, 2010, that a federal grand jury has charged William Jeffery Brady, 21, from Clinton, Okla., with conspiracy and theft from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.  Brady is also charged with making a false statement to a federal agent.  The tribes own the Cheyenne and Arapaho Smoke Shop in Clinton which sells tobacco products and other items to the public.  Brady worked as a security guard for the Smoke Shop.  The indictment alleges that Brady and another man (“John Doe”) conspired to stage a fake armed robbery from the Smoke Shop in December of 2009.

www.justice.gov/usao/okw/index.html

Isleta Woman Receives 16 Year Prison Term for Fatal Drunk Driving Crash in 2005 (U.S Attorney for the District of New Mexico)

U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales announced that on Aug. 5, 2010, U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson sentenced Camille Suzanne Lente, 27, to 16 years in prison for three counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.  The case began after an alcohol-related crash that occurred on Dec. 2, 2005, on the Isleta Pueblo.

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

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Tribal Member to Serve 27 Months in Federal Prison for Failure to Register As A Sex Offender (U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma)

U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats announced on Aug. 5, 2010, that Don Ray Joe, 33, a member of the Mississippi Band of the Choctaw Indians, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Vicki Miles-LaGrange to serve 27 months in prison for failure to register as a sex offender.  Joe was indicted on Jan. 19, 2010, and charged with failing to register as a sex offender after moving to Oklahoma City.

www.justice.gov/usao/okw/index.html

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Six Plead Guilty to Crack and Meth Dealing in Gila River Indian Community (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona) U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke announced on Aug. 5, 2010, that Gail Natalie Kyyitan, 35, of Sacaton, Ariz., and a member of the Gila River Indian Community, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine base with the intent to distribute after undercover agents bought crack cocaine from her in fall 2009.  In June 2010, three other defendants selling cocaine base on the Gila River Indian Reservation in Sacaton, Ariz., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine base with the intent to distribute: Molly Danielle Norris, 34; James S. Zamorano, 30; and Susanna Dominga Mendivil, 31.  Two defendants, Renee Johanna Cannon, 32, of Bapchule, Ariz., and Maryalice Reed, 40, of San Tan, Ariz., pleaded guilty in June 2010 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

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

North Dakota Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse (U.S. Attorney for the District of North Dakota) Acting U.S. Attorney Lynn Jordheim announced that on Aug. 5, 2010, David J. Norquay, 42, of Dunseith, N.D., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Daniel L. Hovland to a charge of sexual abuse.  In the early morning hours of June 23, 2007, Norquay went to a residence in the Dunseith area. Norquay entered a bedroom where a 16-year-old was located and engaged in a sexual act with her.

www.justice.gov/usao/nd/pressreleases/index.html

Elwyn “Jack” Has The Eagle Found Guilty in U.S. Federal Court (U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana) U.S. Attorney Michael Cotter announced that on Aug. 4, 2010, in Great Falls, Mont.,  after a federal district court trial before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, Elwyn Has The Eagle, commonly known as Jack Has The Eagle, was found guilty of obstruction of justice and witness tampering.  According to evidence at trial, during the early morning hours of Dec. 17, 2008, Jack Has The Eagle’s son, Jay Has The Eagle, entered the home of an elderly couple, stabbed both victims to death and fled.  Jay Has The Eagle’s girlfriend testified at the trial of Jack Has The Eagle that for several months prior to the murder trial, she had received calls from Jack Has The Eagle urging her to testify that Jay Has the Eagle was “crazy” at the time of the murders.

www.justice.gov/usao/mt/pressreleases/last20.html

Arizona Man Sentence to More Than 15 Years in Prison for Second Degree Murder (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona)

U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke announced on Aug. 4, 2010, that Marcus Luther, 24, of Tonalea, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Rosenblatt to 189 months in federal prison followed by three years of closely supervised release. Luther pleaded guilty on April 6, 2010, to second- degree murder, which occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.  The facts showed that on August 15, 2009, Luther murdered a cousin by hitting him repeatedly with an axe handle.  The assaulted occurred in a neighborhood in Cow Springs, Ariz.

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

South Dakota Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Lonnie C. White Mountain Jr., 23, of McLaughlin, S.D., appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann on Aug. 3, 2010, and pleaded guilty to an indictment that charged him with sexual abuse of a minor.  The charges relate to numerous incidents of sexual abuse of a minor between November 2007 and November 2008 in Corson County, S.D.

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

Northern Arizona Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona)

U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke announced on Aug. 3. 2010, that  Lorenzo Joe Baldwin, 44, of Keams Canyon, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Earl H. Carroll to 41 months in prison for assaulting a 33-year-old member of the Navajo Nation.  On May 10, 2010, Baldwin pleaded guilty in federal court to assault with a dangerous weapon.



www.justice.gov/usao/az/press–releases/index.html         Laval John Big Leggins 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 Great Falls, Mont., on Aug. 2, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, Laval John Big Leggins was sentenced to 63 months in prison, a $200 special assessment and three years supervised release.  Big Leggins was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and obstruction of justice/witness tampering.



www.justice.gov/usao/mt/pressreleases/last20.html

Man Pleads to Abusive Sexual Contact of a Child under 12 (U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico) U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales announced that on Aug. 2, 2010, Chebon Wilson, 26, of Shiprock, N.M., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Don J. Svet to the charge of abusive sexual contact of a child under 12.  The offenses occurred within the boundaries of the Navajo Nation.  Sentencing has not yet been set.

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

Arizona Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter (U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona) U.S. Attorney Dennis K. Burke announced that Elijah Massey, 21, of Whiteriver, Ariz., was sentenced on Aug. 2, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Rosenblatt to 84 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. On May 17, 2010, Massey pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.  The incident occurred on May 26, 2007 on the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation.  The facts showed that Elijah Massey stabbed the victim with a knife after an argument.  The two men had fought earlier that day and Massey’s friend was hit in the head with a rock.  Massey became very upset and returned to fight the victim with a knife and proceeded to stab him.  The victim died as a result.

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

South Dakota Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor (U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota) U.S. Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that an Enemy Swim, S.D., man charged with sexual abuse of a minor was sentenced on Aug. 2, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann.  Jesse James DeMarrias, age 21, was sentenced to 37 months in custody to be followed by 10 years of supervised release.  He pleaded guilty to that charge on April 23, 2010.