Wapato Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Attempted Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 on the Yakama Reservation

Yakima, Washington – United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastain sentenced Shawn De Sun Speedis, age 19, to 30 months in prison for Attempted Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child Under 12 years of Age in Indian Country. Judge Bastain further sentenced Speedis to 5 years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment. As a result of this conviction, Speedis also will be required to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing, on October 31, 2024, after the child returned home from trick-or-treating, and her mother had left their residence, Speedis asked the child if she wanted to see and touch his penis. When the child refused, Speedis continued to try and coerce the child. The child repeatedly told Speedis that she did not want to do what he asked. Speedis then exposed himself to the child. The child victim was eleven years old at the time of the offense.

“The sexual abuse of children is some of the most heinous criminal conduct that we face as a community,” said US Attorney Pete Serrano. “My office will continue to work alongside our tribal, state and federal partners to stand up for victims of sexual crimes and against those who seek to prey on the most vulnerable people in our community. No one can give the victim back what the Defendant took, but this significant sentence, along with Defendant’s ongoing supervision upon release, and his required registration as a sex offender reflects our commitment to prioritize these investigations and these victims.”

“Mr. Speedis turned Halloween evening last year into a profoundly traumatic experience for this child: a predator seeking to sexually abuse her in her own home," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "We hope this prison sentence and sex offender registration will serve as a warning to all that this behavior has long-lasting consequences.”

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.

1:25-cr-02057-SAB