Man Sentenced For Damaging Property With A Snow Plow On The Bois Forte Indian Reservation

MINNEAPOLIS— Recently in federal court in Duluth, a Hibbing man was sentenced for damaging property belonging to the Fortune Bay Casino on the Bois Forte Indian Reservation. United States District Court Judge John R. Tunheim sentenced Shane Alan Simonson, age 26, to 18 months in federal prison on June 27, 2014. Simonson, who was indicted on August 21, 2013, pleaded guilty on December 12, 2013 to one count of Criminal Damage of Property in the First Degree.

In his plea agreement, Simonson admitted to damaging physical property belonging to the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa. Specifically, on the morning of May 9, 2013, Simonson took a large Band-owned snow plow truck, without permission to operate or possess the truck, and drove it into a maintenance shed, causing significant damage. Simonson then used the snow plow to damage a parking lot barricade and gate, as well as the green of the Fortune Bay Casino’s 11th hole.

In addition to the 18-month term of imprisonment, Judge Tunheim ordered Simonson to pay $68,983 in restitution, the full amount of loss suffered by the Fortune Bay Casino and the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bois Forte Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine T. Buzicky.