A woman from Crow Agency has admitted to making false statements to federal law enforcement, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. Micah Taryn Faith LaForge, aged 24, pleaded guilty to the charge of false statement and faces potential penalties including five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided over the proceedings and will decide on the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors. A date for sentencing has not been set yet, and LaForge has been released pending further proceedings.
Court documents reveal that on January 18, 2023, a gunshot victim was taken to the emergency room at IHS Crow/Northern Cheyenne Hospital in Crow Agency by LaForge and was pronounced dead upon arrival. Initially, LaForge claimed she found the victim lying on the road between Crow Agency and Dunmore and drove him directly to IHS.
LaForge's statements were later proven false when she took a BIA Special Agent to the alleged location without finding any supporting evidence such as blood or shell casings. The investigation revealed that the victim was actually shot at a house on Crow River Road.
The day following her initial statement, LaForge contacted law enforcement to admit her previous statements were lies. Her false information misled investigators for over 15 hours before they could gather evidence from the correct location where the shooting occurred. The firearm involved was never recovered.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted this case with investigations conducted by both the FBI and BIA.
