William Alvin Wick, Jr. Sentenced in U.S. District Court

Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings, on June 25, 2009, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, WILLIAM ALVIN WICK, JR., a 28-year-old resident of Lame Deer, appeared for sentencing. WICK was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 33 months
• Special Assessment: $100
• Supervised Release: 3 years

WICK, an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On June 10, 2008, law enforcement was called to WICK'S home near Lame Deer, which is within the exterior boundary of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, regarding an assault that had occurred. When officers questioned WICK, he stated that he had assaulted the victim by striking her with his hand and kicking her multiple times.

The victim was transported by ambulance to St. Vincent Hospital in Billings for medical care. After receiving medical care, the agents interviewed her. She stated that she had been drinking with WICK, WICK'S brother, and several others. At some point in the evening, WICK became upset and accused her of wanting to be in a relationship with his brother. The victim became upset and walked outside. WICK followed her outside and punched her in the head. The victim then went behind the house and was trying to crawl under a car to hide from WICK. Before she could get under the vehicle, WICK found her and began striking her with his fists and kicking her with his feet. She remembers WICK stomping on her face numerous times before she lost consciousness. When she awoke, she ran inside the house to hide in the basement. Once again, WICK found her and drug her up the stairs by her feet, her head hitting the steps and knocking her unconscious again.

After regaining consciousness, she ran to her cousin's house. Her mother was called and medical attention was sought.

WICK was interviewed by agents the afternoon of June 10, 2008. He stated he was angry with the victim because he believed she was in a relationship with his younger brother. He admitted to assaulting the victim because he was frustrated and angry with her.

The victim estimated that WICK struck her with his fists over 20 times, stomped on her face 15 times, and kicked her in the ribs, hips and buttocks at least 5 times. She remembers WICK was wearing heavy, leather basketball shoes with hard rubber soles.

The victim suffered two broken/fractured ribs, a hairline fracture to her jaw, extensive bruising to her head/face, and unspecified injuries to her kidneys due to the series of assaults by WICK.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that WICK will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, WICK does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Harper Suek prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.