Wyoming Men Sentenced For Assault And Weapons Possession

U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming Christopher A. Crofts announced today that on March 4, 2013, Casey James Nowlin, a 28 year old Eastern Shoshone tribal descendant, was sentenced for five violent assault charges, one involving assault resulting in serious bodily injury and four counts involving assaults with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in connection with Nowlin coming up behind young people at an alcohol party on the Wind River Indian Reservation and hitting them in the head and other areas with a log in April of 2012. In one instance, the victim suffered permanent and life threatening injury. Nowlin was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Nancy Freudenthal to 137 months imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a $500.00 special assessment.

Nowlin’s 19 year old codefendant, Lorenzo Roman, an enrolled Northern Arapaho Tribal member, was sentenced on March 4, 2013 in connection with his role in one count of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm in connection with his role in kicking a victim who had already been hit in the head by Nowlin with a log and was lying on the ground. Roman was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment, two years of supervised release, and a $100.00 special assessment.

Nowlin was ordered to pay $154,694.34 in restitution in connection with the most seriously injured victim, $2441.00 jointly and severally with Roman in connection with a second victim’s injuries, and $3731.00 in connection with a third victim’s injuries.

Roman was ordered to pay $2441.00 jointly and severally with Nowlin in connection with injuries to the victim of his crime.

United States Attorney Christopher A. Crofts announced today that Leo Lone Bear III a.k.a. “Bronco”, an enrolled Northern Arapaho Tribal member, appeared in federal court on March 6, 2013, for a preliminary hearing and detention hearing. Mr. Lone Bear had been recently charged by criminal complaint with one count of abusive sexual contact, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2244(a)(5) and 1153, which carries a potential penalty of up to life imprisonment. At the March 6th hearings held in Lander, Wyoming, Mr. Lone Bear was represented by counsel, at which time he waived his preliminary hearing and was detained pending further proceedings. The allegations against Mr. Lone Bear will now be presented to the federal Grand Jury for their consideration. A criminal complaint is only an accusation. In every criminal case, the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, and the government always has the burden of proving guilt at trial beyond a reasonable doubt.

Jacob Scott Anderson, 24, of Wellington, Colorado, was sentenced by Federal District Court Judge Clarence A. Brimmer on March 1, 2013, for attempted bank robbery. Anderson self-surrendered. He received 40 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $100.00 special assessment and a $500.00 fine. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Wyoming Christopher A. Crofts announced today that on March 4, 2013, David M. Gehl, 26, a non-tribal member from Fort Washakie, was charged with possessing an unregistered illegal firearm, that is, a weapon made from a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches in length, in violation of Title 26, United States Code Sections 5841, 5845(a)(1) and (d), 5861(d), and 5871. These charges are punishable by up to 10 years imprisonment, a $10,000 fine or both. A criminal complaint is only an accusation. In every criminal case, the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty, and the government always has the burden of proving guilt at trial beyond a reasonable doubt.