December 3, 2014

Ponemah Man Sentenced for Violently Strangling a Woman on the Red Lake Indian Reservation

United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the sentencing of TERRY DEAN ICEMAN, 47, to 41 months in federal prison for a violent assault committed on the Red Lake Indian Reservation. On April 3, 2014, following a three-day trial, a federal jury found ICEMAN guilty of one count of strangulation. The defendant was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Duluth, Minn., on December 2, 2014.

As proven at trial, on the morning of July 18, 2014, ICEMAN assaulted his girlfriend by hitting her repeatedly and dragging her by her hair. During the assault, ICEMAN threw the victim onto the ground and strangled her with an article of clothing that he had torn from her body. As a result of the attack, the victim suffered swelling and bruising on her face and neck as well as bruising all over her body.

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.

Violence against American Indian women occurs at epidemic rates. In 2005, Congress found that one in three American Indian women is raped during her lifetime, and American Indian women are nearly three times more likely to be battered during their lives than Caucasian women.

The U.S. Justice Department is taking steps to increase engagement, coordination, and action relative to public safety in tribal communities, including the creation of the Violence Against Women Federal and Tribal Prosecution Task Force. This task force will explore current issues raised by professionals in the field and recommend “best practices” in prosecution strategies involving domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking.

To learn more about the Justice Department’s Tribal Safety program, visit http://www.justice.gov/tribal/.

This case resulted from an investigation conducted by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manda M. Sertich and Deidre Y. Aanstad.

Defendant Information:

TERRY DEAN ICEMAN, 47 Ponemah, Minn.

Convicted:

  • Strangulation, one count

Sentenced:

  • 41 months in prison

TERRY DEAN ICEMAN, 47 Ponemah, Minn.

Convicted:

  • Strangulation, 1 count

Sentenced:

  • 41 months in prison