St. Paul Man Indicted for Burglary on the Red Lake Indian Reservation

MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, a 37-year-old St. Paul man was indicted in connection with a July 24, 2011, home invasion and burglary of a residence on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. The indictment charges Robert Joseph Downwind with one count of burglary in the first degree.

The indictment alleges that on July 24, Downwind, an Indian, entered a dwelling without consent, intent on stealing. It also alleges that during the burglary, Downwind assaulted a resident who discovered him inside the home.

If convicted, Downwind faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. All sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge. This case is the result of an investigation by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Deidre Y. Aanstad.

Because the Red Lake Indian Reservation is a federal jurisdiction reservation, some of the crimes that occur there are investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Red Lake Tribal Police Department. Those cases are prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.