Jeffery Medicine Horse Sentenced in U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on July 28, 2011, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, JEFFERY MEDICINE HORSE, a 56-year-old resident of Crow Agency, appeared for sentencing. MEDICINE HORSE was sentenced to a term of:

Prison: 78 months
Special Assessment: $100
Restitution: $685
Supervised Release: lifetime

MEDICINE HORSE was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to sexual abuse.

In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On November 25, 2010, a woman contacted the Bureau of Indian Affairs Police Department in Crow Agency and reported that she had been sexually assaulted by MEDICINE HORSE on November 24, 2010. The woman reported that she had been at the Lodge Grass home of MEDICINE HORSE’s son where they were drinking. MEDICINE HORSE arrived and provided them with some of his “medical marijuana” which led to both his son and the woman becoming extremely intoxicated and ill. The two went to bed in the son’s bedroom and thought that MEDICINE HORSE had left. When the woman awoke, MEDICINE HORSE was already engaged in sexual intercourse with her. The woman struggled with him and he ultimately left the room. The woman fell back asleep and a short time later, she awoke and again found MEDICINE HORSE sexually assaulting her. After a struggle, he left the room and she heard a car start up and then drive away.

The following day, MEDICINE HORSE came back to his son’s home and his son confronted him about what happened. The woman called a friend and told her about the rape and her friend encouraged her to call the police. The woman then left the house and began walking to Wyola. As she walked, MEDICINE HORSE drove up to her and stopped. His son pulled up in a separate vehicle and the woman got into the son’s car. He drove her to a friend’s house where she called the police.

At the hospital, a rape kit was done and photographs were taken. MEDICINE HORSE’s DNA was found.

When questioned, MEDICINE HORSE denied knowing the woman, denied being at his son’s house on the evening in question, and denied having any contact with the woman. However, his son’s mother was also at the house that evening and confirmed that he was there, as did the son.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that MEDICINE HORSE will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, MEDICINE HORSE does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for “good behavior.” However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.