Timothy J. Racicot Acting United States Attorney for the District of Montana | Wikipedia
A Harlem man has been sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for domestic assault on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announced the sentencing of Nicholas Dee Birdtail, aged 53, who pleaded guilty to one count of domestic assault by a habitual offender in January 2025.
The case was presided over by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris. Court documents revealed that Birdtail and Jane Doe had been in a relationship for over three years and were married in tribal court in 2022. On September 2, 2023, Birdtail assaulted Doe, leaving a visible handprint on her face and bruises on her arms from an earlier incident. At the time, Birdtail was out on bond with conditions prohibiting contact with Doe due to previous domestic violence charges against him.
Birdtail's criminal history includes multiple misdemeanor domestic assault convictions in Billings municipal court and a felony conviction for partner family member assault in Yellowstone County District Court. Additionally, he has a misdemeanor conviction for partner family member assault from Idaho.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that unites law enforcement at all levels with communities to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The Department launched a strategy on May 26, 2021, to enhance PSN based on principles such as fostering community trust and legitimacy, supporting community organizations aimed at preventing violence, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.
