Gila River Man Indicted for Aggravated Sexual Abuse
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 05, 2012 |
PHOENIX—On September 4, 2012, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned an eight-count indictment against Keith Patrick Manuel, 39, of Bapchule, Arizona, and a member of the Gila River Indian Community. The indictment alleges that Manuel committed six separate acts of aggravated sexual abuse against a minor victim under the age of 12. The crimes allegedly occurred on the Gila River Indian Reservation, where Manuel is currently being held in tribal custody.
A conviction for aggravated sexual abuse carries a minimum penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Frederick J. Martone will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Jennifer E. Green, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.