A 26-year-old member of the Makah Tribe was sentenced Sept. 26, 2017, in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to 63 months in prison for sexually molesting a 5-year-old child, announced U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes. JORDAN JAMES COLFAX was babysitting the young child when the sexual abuse occurred on Makah Tribal land. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle called COLFAX’s conduct “monstrous" and imposed 20 years of supervised release following the prison sentence.
According to records filed in the case, COLFAX was indicted in December 2016 and pleaded guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact in April 2017. The sexual abuse occurred between August 2015 and April 2016 when COLFAX, then age 24, was babysitting the 5-year-old child. In April 2016, the child disclosed the abuse to a relative who contacted Child Protective Services (CPS). CPS notified Neah Bay Public Safety (NBPS), the law enforcement department of the Makah Tribe. COLFAX was interviewed and arrested in May 2016. Because the crime involves tribal members on tribal land, federal authorities have jurisdiction.
The case was investigated by Neah Bay Public Safety and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Tate London. Mr. London is one of two Tribal Liaisons for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
