Bay Mills Member Convicted of Assault on a Federal Officer
| U.S. Attorney’s Office December 07, 2012 |
MARQUETTE, MI—Lorne Anthony Lyons, 50, of Brimley, Michigan, and a member of the Bay Mills Indian Community, was convicted of assault upon a federal officer with a dangerous weapon after a two-day jury trial, U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles, Jr. announced today. The jury found that Lyons assaulted, resisted, opposed, impeded, or interfered with a Bay Mills Tribal Police officer through the use of a sword.
The charge arose from an incident on May 7, 2012, during which Lyons sent text messages claiming he had committed a suicidal act. Bay Mills Tribal Police responded to an emergency call and, with the assistance of U.S. Border Protection agents, searched Lyons’ residence trying to locate him. Lyons, who was hiding in a closet, refused to come out when asked by the officers and instead produced a short sword, threatening the officers and throwing it at one of them after he was shot with a Taser.
Lyons faces a prison term of up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 23, 2013, before Senior U.S. District Judge R. Allan Edgar, who presided over the trial.
The Bay Mills Indian Community Tribal Police, U.S. Border Patrol, and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D. Lochner prosecuted the case.