Box Elder woman admits assaulting woman during attempted kidnapping on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation

GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder woman accused of beating another woman during an attempted kidnapping from Great Falls to the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Taneal Raschae Sutherland, 30, pleaded guilty to assault with the intent to commit a felony, a kidnapping. Sutherland faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Sept. 25. Sutherland was detained pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that between Aug. 13 and 15, 2023, Sutherland and a group of friends, including the victim, identified as Jane Doe, were in Great Falls when they got into a dispute over money. Sutherland grabbed Doe by the hair and pushed her into a vehicle, and the group drove Doe to a home on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation. Doe reported that the individuals punched and kneed her throughout the drive to Rocky Boy’s. Doe further told law enforcement that she was kept at the residence against her will for some time before a friend helped her leave. Doe sought medical attention for injuries, including a concussion. Sutherland admitted to law enforcement that she grabbed Doe by the hair and assaulted her throughout the drive to Rocky Boy’s.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kalah A. Paisley and Amanda L. Myers are prosecuting the case. The FBI and Rocky Boy’s Police Department conducted the investigation.

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