Convicted Murderer Sentenced to Thirteen Years in Prison for Assault with Intent to Commit Murder on the Yakama Reservation

Yakima, Washington –United States Attorney S. Peter Serrano announced that United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastain sentenced Jordan Stevens, 35, to 162 months in prison for Assault with Intent to Commit Murder.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing, on October 6, 2018, the Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department received a report of shots fired at a residence in Toppenish, Washington. Through their investigation, law enforcement discovered that Stevens shot the victim in the chest for “ripping him off.” The victim’s friend transported him to the hospital where he received life-saving care and was discharged a few days later. Stevens is currently serving a life sentence for the 2019 murder of a Yakama Nation Tribal member.

United States Attorney Pete Serrano emphasized, “The community must see that every act of serious violence carries its own consequence, and that the justice system will respond decisively to deter others from engaging in similar acts of rage or retaliation. This prosecution serves to protect the public by reinforcing the rule of law and underscoring that even those already in custody are subject to the same standards of accountability and respect for human life as anyone else.”

At sentencing, MMIP AUSA Bree Black Horse acknowledged that Stevens was already serving a life sentence, but that this separate and distinct act of violence warrants its own meaningful punishment. “A maximum Guideline sentence of 162 months imprisonment is necessary to affirm that the Court and the law will not tolerate the use of firearms to resolve personal disputes, and that each act of violence—even by someone who is already serving a life term—carries independent moral and legal weight,” AUSA Black Horse argued to the Court. In seeking the 13-year sentence, AUSA Black Horse explained that penalty “reinforces the principle that serious acts of violence will not be excused or ignored, even when committed by someone already serving a lengthy or life term. A maximum Guideline sentence communicates to others—particularly those who might otherwise view incarceration as a shield against further accountability—that violence conduct will no go unpunished, regardless of a defendant’s existing term of imprisonment.”

"Even though Mr. Stevens is already serving a life sentence for murder, he still must be held accountable for this violent crime," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "The FBI and our partners are committed to pursuing justice for each and every one of these violent acts on behalf of the victims and their communities."

This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners. The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components. Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Assistant United States Attorney Bree R. Black Horse.

1:23-cr-2046-SAB