Tulalip Tribal Member Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Assault, Witness Tampering and Illegally Possessing a Firearm

          An enrolled member of the Tulalip Tribes was sentenced October 7, 2016 in U.S. District Court in Seattle to nine years in prison and four years of supervised release for seven charges involving his repeated assault of an intimate partner, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.  BRIAN H. JONES, SR., 47, of Tulalip and Marysville, Washington, was convicted of assault by strangulation, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, witness tampering, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon following a six-day jury trial.   At sentencing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones noted the “horrific circumstances” of JONES’ criminal acts and the need to protect others given his continuous history of violence.

          “Violence of this kind and attempts to subvert our justice system cannot be tolerated in any of our communities,” said U. S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes.  “I commend law enforcement for its diligent investigation in this case.  We take seriously our responsibility to address domestic violence in our tribal communities, and will do all that we can to hold defendants to account for the physical and psychological harms they cause.”
 

          According to records filed in the case and testimony at trial, JONES assaulted both his ex-wife and her then husband in December 2014, holding them at gun point.  In April 2015, JONES assaulted his ex-wife a second time, strangling her and beating her.  Medical records indicate JONES’ ex-wife suffered injuries to her head, arms, legs, and throat trauma.  Following his arrest in both assaults, records reveal JONES repeatedly contacted his ex-wife and convinced her to refuse to testify in a tribal court trial, as well as to seek a dismissal of the federal charges or recant in federal court.  Prosecutors used evidence including the ex-wife’s prior sworn statements, medical records, and other witness statements to prove JONES’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. 

          JONES is also a felon having been previously convicted of a state felony crime, and is thus prohibited from possessing firearms. 

          JONES has been in federal custody since his arrest on June 3, 2015. 

          The case was investigated by the Tulalip Tribal Police and the FBI.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ye-Ting Woo and J. Tate London.