Cody L. Big Hair Sentenced in U.S. District Court
The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on June 6, 2012, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, CODY L. BIG HAIR, a 20-year-old resident of St. Xavier and an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe of Indians, appeared for sentencing. BIG HAIR was sentenced to a term of:
- Probation: 5 years
- Special Assessment: $100
BIG HAIR 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 E. Vincent Carroll, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On February 5, 2011, at approximately 11:45 a.m., BIG HAIR was driving a pickup truck on a highway near Fort Smith when he drove off the road and hit a tree head-on. There was one other occupant in the truck. The victim was taken to the hospital in Crow Agency where he was seen by a doctor. The attending doctor indicated that the victim suffered multiple serious injuries, and that the victim would be lucky to survive. The attending doctor also signed a "serious bodily injury" form stating that the victim's injuries created "a substantial risk of death," and caused "extreme physical pain," and caused "protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty." The victim was then transported to a hospital in Billings.
BIG HAIR had been drinking prior to the wreck. His blood alcohol level was taken and determined to be 0.16 GM/100ML. BIG HAIR admitted to being drunk and the victim stated that BIG HAIR was drunk and was driving. The incident occurred within the exterior boundaries of the Crow Indian Reservation.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that BIG HAIR will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, BIG HAIR 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 conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
