Sault Tribal Member Sentenced to 30 Years for Abusive Sexual Assault
| U.S. Attorney’s Office June 28, 2011 |
MARQUETTE, MI—Christopher Frazier, 39, of Escanaba, Michigan, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, following his conviction for the sexual assault of three minor children on the Bay Mills Indian Community Reservation, U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis announced today. U.S. District Judge R. Allan Edgar, in issuing the sentence, noted the young ages of the victims, the severity of the acts involved, and the need to provide an adequate deterrence not only to the defendant but to the tribal community. Judge Edgar noted that 50 percent of his time is devoted to sexual assault crimes in Indian Country, and stressed the need to send a strong message to tribal communities that committing these types of crimes will result in harsh sentences.
U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis echoed the concerns of Judge Edgar in stating that, “Violent crime in Indian Country will be dealt with quickly and effectively in the Western District. These offenses are a priority within my office and the Department of Justice. Hopefully, this sentence will help inform everyone in Indian Country that these crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was the product of a coordinated investigative effort by the FBI, Sault Ste. Marie City Police, and Bay Mills Indian Community. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff J. Davis.