The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on August 8, 2013, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn S. Ostby, GARY LEE PLENTY BUFFALO, a 26-year-old resident of Hardin and an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe, pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Sentencing has been set for Nov. 2, 2013. He is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On Jan. 26, 2013, PLENTY BUFFALO was picking up the victim from work. PLENTY BUFFALO yelled at the victim and began to speed away as she entered PLENTY BUFFALO's vehicle. The argument arose from PLENTY BUFFALO's suspicion that the victim was "acting cute" around other men. As PLENTY BUFFALO drove over a bridge, he continued to yell at her and jerked the steering wheel from side-to-side. The vehicle rolled and the victim was ejected from the passenger seat.
PLENTY BUFFALO waved down two males to help. The two males observed the victim in a ditch unable to move and called the police to report the accident. Police and medical personnel arrived and took the victim to the hospital.
The victim suffered several pelvic fractures. The injuries she suffered met the criteria for serious bodily injury.
PLENTY BUFFALO faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
