Tulalip Tribal Member Sentenced to more than 5 Years in Prison for Repeated Domestic Violence Assaults

            A 36-year-old member of the Tulalip Tribes was sentenced March 21, 2019, in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 71 months in prison for multiple horrific assaults on his intimate partner, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  MORGAN BRYANT pleaded guilty in December 2018 to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault by strangulation, assault with a dangerous weapon, and domestic assault by a habitual offender.  According to records filed in the case, BRYANT assaulted his live-in partner on numerous occasions: punching her, kicking her, hitting her with a hammer and a wrench, and strangling her.  When treated by medical professionals, the victim had a broken wrist, broken ribs, and broken bones in her face.  At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Lasnik said, “He cannot do this ever again to any woman.”

            “Such violent, vicious assaults deserve significant federal prison time,” said U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  “The Tribal Liaisons in my office are using important tools such as the Habitual Offender Domestic Assault statute to ensure domestic violence assaults are investigated, prosecuted and punished to protect the vulnerable in our Tribal communities.”

            According to records filed in the case, in March 2018, the victim sent her family and friends text messages asking for help.  She included a photo that showed she had one black eye, an eye swollen shut, and bruises on her face.  Tulalip Tribal Police responded to check on the victim.  Because no one inside would answer the door, the police obtained a search warrant.  Inside they found the victim with severe injuries, including a bloody head-wound with a towel super-glued in place, and broken bones in her face.  The victim was taken to the hospital and later disclosed months of abuse, including a November 2017 fight where BRYANT broke her wrist and a January 2018 argument where BRYANT punched and kicked her, struck her with a wrench and hammer while keeping her locked in a bathroom for hours, strangled her, and hit her over the head with a plate.  Finally, in the March 2018 assault that led to his arrest, BRYANT repeatedly punched her leaving her bruised and bloody. 

            BRYANT has previous convictions in Everett Municipal Court and Tulalip Tribal Court for domestic violence assaults on other victims.

            The case was investigated by the Tulalip Tribal Police and the FBI.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Cohen.