Winnebago Tribal Member Admits Assaulting Woman on Fort Hall Reservation

POCATELLO—Ivan Redhorn, 35, of Winnebago, Nebraska, pleaded guilty today in United States District Court in Pocatello to assault resulting in serious bodily injury, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Redhorn is an enrolled member of the Winnebago Indian Tribe in Nebraska.

According to the plea agreement, Redhorn admitted that on May 9, 2010, at a residence on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation, he intentionally struck a woman with a baseball bat causing serious bodily injury, including two skull fractures and a ruptured eardrum. The treating physician stated that the victim’s skull fractures created a substantial risk of death.

The charge carries a maximum punishment of up to 10 years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, and up to three years’ supervised release.

Sentencing is set for January 23, 2012, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.

The case was investigated by Fort Hall Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“The United States Attorney’s Office has a unique responsibility to protect public safety in Indian Country,” said Olson. “Working hand in hand with the tribal police department and the FBI, we are committed to fulfilling that responsibility in serious assaults such as the one Mr. Redhorn committed. Tragically, Native American women are assaulted at rates much higher than women in other ethnic groups. Today’s plea ensures that Mr. Redhorn will be held accountable for his violent con