Yakama Man Sentenced to Prison for Assault with a Dangerous Weapon

Yakima, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced, Joey Anthony Andy, age 44, to 63 months in prison for assault with a dangerous weapon. Judge Dimke also imposed 3 years of supervised release. Andy was convicted of this crime on May 15, 2024, following a jury trial.

According to court documents and information disclosed at trial and at the sentencing hearing, on April 4, 2023, a victim, an enrolled member of the Yakama Nation, was leaving Noah’s Ark Homeless shelter in Wapato, Washington. As the victim was walking away from the shelter, he was confronted by Andy. Andy was upset with the victim because Andy believed the victim had stolen his Bluetooth speaker. Andy then shoved the victim. After the victim stepped back, Andy pulled out a knife, lifted the sleeve on this hooded sweatshirt (presumably to ensure he did not get blood on his clothing), and lifted the knife, and then swung the knife at the victim’s head. As the victim attempted to dodge the blow, the knife hit the victim, leaving a four-inch laceration to the side of the victim’s head. The laceration cut down to the victim’s skull and required fourteen staples to close.

The victim ran back to Noah’s Ark for help. There, employees rendered first aid and called police. Wapato Police later located Andy in the neighborhood near Noah’s Ark. Although Andy attempted to flee, officers took Andy into custody without incident after a short chase.

At the sentencing hearing, MMIP AUSA Black Horse argued that a maximum guideline sentence was necessary to afford adequate deterrence and to protect the public from further crimes of the Defendant.  “This assault occurred outside the doors of Noah’s Ark Shelter, a low barrier shelter and service center for chronically homeless persons based in downtown Wapato. Noah’s Ark Shelter is the only low-barrier shelter and service center of its kind in the lower Yakima Valley, and Native American individuals comprise a significant portion of its clientele,” MMIP AUSA Black Horse told the court.  She further noted that “individuals who frequent Noah’s Ark Shelter are inherently at risk, experience marginalization, and a reduced sense of personal safety based on their unhoused status. The Defendant’s violent knife assault outside of Noah’s Ark Shelter only compounds these circumstances, and more importantly, may have a chilling effect on unhoused vulnerable persons seeking out the critical services provided by Noah’s Ark Shelter.”

“Mr. Andy attacked his victim without provocation or justification,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “Because of the tremendous law enforcement response from our federal, state, local, and Tribal partners, the victim’s voice was heard and Mr. Andy will be held to account for this attack.”

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 and MMIP-related 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Bree R. Black Horse and Todd Swensen. 

1:23-cr-02054-MKD