Red Lake Man Charged with Intent to Commit Murder

A 24-year-old Red Lake man was charged yesterday in federal court in St. Paul with the April 29, 2010, attempted murder of a woman on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. Joseph Joshua Jackson made his initial appearance in court on May 5, 2010, pursuant to a criminal complaint that specifically charged him with one count of intent to commit murder.

A law enforcement affidavit filed in this case states that on April 29, the Red Lake Tribal Police Department responded to a call about a shooting victim near the Redby Post Office. Upon arriving at the scene, authorities found the woman. She had been shot in the right side of her torso. She subsequently identified Jackson as the perpetrator of the crime and was taken to the Red Lake Indian Health Service Hospital for medical treatment.

If convicted, Jackson faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years. All sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge.

The Red Lake Indian Reservation is subject to federal jurisdiction. As a result, serious crime committed there is investigated by federal agencies, with the assistance of tribal police, and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI and the Red Lake Tribal Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Clifford B. Wardlaw.