Fort Totten Woman Sentenced for Retaliating Against a Witness

FARGO—Acting United States Attorney Lynn Jordheim announced that on February 22, 2010, Bonnie Lou Cavanaugh of Fort Totten, North Dakota, was sentenced before United States District Court Chief Judge Ralph R. Erickson on a charge of obstructing justice by retaliating against a witness, victim, or informant.

Cavanaugh, 29, pleaded guilty on December 7, 2009, to causing physical injury to another woman with intent to retaliate against that person for providing information to law enforcement in connection with a federal criminal case that was pending in United States District Court. Cavanaugh assaulted the victim by punching her and pulling out a fist full of the victim’s hair, for informing law enforcement on the whereabouts of a federal fugitive who was eluding arrest for three months. The incident occurred on April 25, 2009, on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation.

Chief Judge Erickson sentenced Cavanaugh to 12 months and one day in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Cavanaugh was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $257.89, and to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim's Fund.

“The North Dakota U.S. Attorney’s Office takes very seriously our responsibility for protecting witnesses whose cooperation and assistance is vital to our prosecution of crime in Indian Country,” said Assistant U. S. Attorney Janice M. Morley.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Totten Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Janice M. Morley prosecuted the case.