Topic
Indian Country Crime
Coverage of criminal cases prosecuted under federal jurisdiction on tribal lands, including investigations by the FBI and other federal agencies, court proceedings in federal district courts, and the unique legal framework that governs law enforcement in Indian Country. This includes violent crimes, drug offenses, and other federal violations that occur on reservations and tribal trust lands.
Stopsatprettyplaces Guilty of Sexually Abusing Child on Crow Reservation
49-year-old Billings man faces up to life in prison after jury convicts him of abusing 9-year-old girl on reservation
Texas Man Pleads Guilty in Eagle Trafficking Ring That Killed 3,600 Birds on Flathead Reservation
Guilty plea reveals PayPal payments for eagles killed on tribal lands
Poplar Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Knife-Point Sexual Assault
Chucho Garfield receives 68 months in prison, 10 years supervised release for 2022 assault on Fort Peck Reservation
Two Men Arraigned on Murder Charges in Rocky Boy’s Reservation Incident
Defendants accused of armed robbery attempt that left one person dead on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation
-
Billings Woman Pleads Not Guilty to Murder on Crow Reservation
Federal case stems from November 2024 killing near Pryor on tribal land
Second Co-Defendant Gets 4 Years in Fatal Fort Peck ‘Slap Boxing’ Case
Philip Ray Azure sentenced for fatal assault and separate stabbing on Fort Peck Indian Reservation
-
Poplar Man Sentenced in Latest Fort Peck Sexual Abuse Case
Jonathan Walking Eagle receives 54 months as DNA evidence secures conviction in fourth major sexual abuse case from Poplar this year
Former Juvenile Probation Officer Gets 24+ Years for 31-Year Pattern of Sexual Abuse Across Montana Reservations
King exploited positions working with children while systematically abusing victims across Fort Belknap and Northern Cheyenne reservations from 1992-2023
-
Browning Woman Sentenced to Prison for Assault That Required Victim’s Brain Surgery
Kodie Rae Ground attacked stranger who refused to give her a ride, causing brain bleed that required emergency surgery
-
Fort Belknap Man Gets 7 Years for Baseball Bat Assault on Reservation
Federal sentencing highlights ongoing violent crime challenges on Montana tribal lands
Transvestite Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing 13-Year-Old on Fort Belknap Reservation
Ivan Raining Bird used Facebook persona “Ivey” to deceive victim into months of abuse
Poplar Man Confessed Triple Killing to Son Before Admitting Shootings to Deputies
Michael J. Ackerman told officers he shot three people during methamphetamine dispute at his residence
-
Two 19-Year-Olds Face Life Sentences After Pleading Guilty to Sexual Assault on Fort Peck Reservation
Sentencing scheduled for January 2026 in federal court
Federal Sentencing Contradicts Claims Heart Butte School District Financial Crisis Was Resolved
Former employee sentenced for $30,000 embezzlement more than a year after officials claimed budget was “in order”
-
Poplar Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing Two Underage Girls on Fort Peck Reservation
Defendant used Facebook to contact victims, injected one with methamphetamine before assault
-
South Dakota Man Sentenced to 12 Years for Sexual Abuse on Fort Belknap Reservation
Farron Gene American Horse, Sr., 40, was convicted of abusing two girls between ages 12 and 16 in 2020
-
Box Elder Repeat Offender Gets 32 Months for Gun Possession on Rocky Boy’s Reservation
Franklin Caplette’s five supervised release violations highlight ongoing challenges in federal Indian Country prosecutions
