The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on December 15, 2010, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, ROY FIGHTING BEAR, JR., a 43-year-old resident of Lame Deer, appeared for sentencing. FIGHTING BEAR was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 27 months

• Special Assessment: $100

• Supervised Release: 3 years

FIGHTING BEAR was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On April 14, 2010, FIGHTING BEAR and his common-law wife were drinking alcohol in Lame Deer, which is within the exterior boundaries of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. FIGHTING BEAR then beat his wife and left her covered in blood lying behind a shed. She walked to a friend's house and was taken to Indian Health Services, where law enforcement photographed her injuries and questioned her.

FIGHTING BEAR had repeatedly struck and kicked the victim about the face and head causing several facial lacerations and a neck injury. The victim suffered a deep laceration on her left forehead, causing her left eye to swell shut, and a laceration to her right eyebrow. FIGHTING BEAR also broke the victim's nose.

When FIGHTING BEAR was questioned, he did not directly admit that he beat his common-law wife, but he made indirect admissions that would have proven that he beat her and caused her injuries.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that FIGHTING BEAR will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, FIGHTING BEAR does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

 

 

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