Poplar Man Sentenced In Double Stabbing

The United States Attorney(s Office announced that on Thursday, January 23, 2014, JAMES MICHAEL YOUPEE, 35, of Poplar, was sentenced to 42 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, by U.S. District Judge Brian Morris for stabbing two people in a Poplar hotel room.

According to an offer of proof filed by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Weiss, in April of 2013, Youpee was staying in a Poplar, Montana, hotel room when he got into an argument with a woman. When she went to another hotel room to use the phone, Youpee followed and forced his way into the room where he stabbed and cut the woman and the man who was living in the room. The male victim suffered life-endangering injuries and was flown to Billings for medical treatment. He has since suffered migraine headaches and pain from his injuries, one of which was a stab wound at the base of his neck.

Youpee was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Because there is no parole in the federal system, the (truth in sentencing( guidelines mandate that Youpee will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, Youpee does have the opportunity to shorten the term of custody by earning credit for (good behavior(, however this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice.