Wyoming man sentenced to 3 years in prison for attempted robbery on Fort Peck Indian Reservation

GREAT FALLS – A Wyoming man who attempted a robbery on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced yesterday to 36 months in prison to be followed by 3 years supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Jesse Alex Sutherland, 37, pleaded guilty in December 2024 to one count of attempted robbery.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on the evening of November 21, 2023, the defendant, Jesse Alex Sutherland, went with a co-defendant to a remote residence on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. The co-defendant was armed with an AR-15 style rifle. The two men met with a third person outside the home. While still outside the residence the co-defendant fired one round into the ground and six into the air. He and the defendant then broke into the residence. The two men assaulted the two occupants of the home, and the co-defendant struck them with the rifle while demanding access to a safe.

Sutherland was seen on surveillance video before and after the attempted robbery. He was arrested shortly thereafter wearing the same hoodie he wore during the attempted robbery.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, BIA and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law & Justice.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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