A federal jury has found Caleb Raymond Carter, 39, of Lame Deer, guilty of assaulting two federal officers with a dangerous weapon and using a firearm during a crime of violence on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
The trial lasted one and a half days. Carter now faces up to 20 years in prison for the assaults, along with a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. For the firearm charge, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison—consecutive to any other sentence—a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided over the case and will determine sentencing after reviewing federal guidelines and statutory factors. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Carter remains in custody while awaiting further proceedings.
According to evidence presented in court, the victims were federal law enforcement officers working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). On May 2, 2025, one officer responded to a 911 call reporting that Carter was intoxicated and yelling at Jane Doe’s mother in Lame Deer. The situation had calmed when police arrived; no immediate action was taken beyond ensuring everyone’s safety.
Later that day, another 911 call reported that Carter had become agitated again and might be armed with a firearm. Two BIA officers responded in marked vehicles with emergency lights activated. When they approached Carter’s camper trailer and announced themselves as police, there was no response.
As one officer spoke with Jane Doe’s brother at a nearby residence, he heard what sounded like a gunshot from the direction of the camper trailer. Both officers drew their weapons and retreated for safety before ordering those inside to exit. Carter and his wife eventually emerged with their hands raised and were detained without further incident.
A search of the camper revealed evidence consistent with gunfire: a hole in the door matching a shotgun blast, a 20-gauge shotgun found inside an overhead cabinet near the door, a spent shell casing stuck in its chamber, and ammunition stored elsewhere in the trailer.
During questioning by law enforcement, Carter said he had previously posted “No Trespassing” signs due to issues with officers entering his property. He claimed that when officers arrived for the second time that day he retrieved his shotgun after hearing someone trying to open his door; he stated that it discharged accidentally as he pointed it toward the door.
However, an FBI analyst later determined that the firearm functioned normally and would not have fired as described by Carter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted this case following an investigation by both the FBI and BIA.
The prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative designed to reduce violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities nationwide. The Department of Justice strengthened this program's strategy on May 26, 2021 by emphasizing trust-building within communities, supporting violence prevention organizations, setting focused enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes. More information about PSN can be found at Justice.gov/PSN.
