Washington Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting His Brother on the Colville Indian Reservation

Spokane – William D. Hyslop, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington announced that Jesse McKay, age 45, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, was sentenced after having pleaded guilty on July 28, 2020, to Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country. United States Senior District Judge Robert H. Whaley sentenced McKay to a 120-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a 3-year term of court supervision after he is released from federal prison.

According to information disclosed during court proceedings, during the early morning hours of July 17, 2019, McKay assaulted his brother, striking him on the head with a 12-pound metallic weightlifting bar, while the victim was asleep in his home. The blow caused injuries to the victim’s face, and, as a result, the victim sustained a laceration to his right cheek, a broken nose, and loss of vision out of his right eye.

At sentencing, Senior Judge Whaley recognized the danger that McKay presents to the community, based on McKay’s history of violently attacking victims in their sleep. The Court also noted the statutory maximum sentence of 10 years, before sentencing McKay to the full statutory maximum penalty.

United States Attorney Hyslop said, “The sentence imposed by the Court removes from our streets a serial offender with a history of violent crime. The Court imposed the maximum penalty which is appropriate here to protect the public. This should also send a clear message and warning to others who may choose to engage in such criminal activity. I commend the outstanding work of out federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement partners who investigated this case.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Ray Duda said, “Violent crime on our state's reservations is something we've seen far too often and is the reason why the FBI is committed to combating it. The sentencing of Mr. McKay to the maximum penalty sends a message to other would-be offenders that we're not going to stand idly by when these crimes are committed."

This case was investigated by the Spokane Resident Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tribal Law Enforcement Department of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation Police. This case was prosecuted by Richard R. Barker, Assistant United States Attorney, and Michael L. Vander Giessen, Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.