Fred Martin Belly Mule, Jr. Sentenced in U.S. District Court
| U.S. Attorney’s Office January 12, 2012 |
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings on January 11, 2011, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, FRED MARTIN BELLY MULE, JR., a 35-year-old resident of Lame Deer, appeared for sentencing. BELLY MULE was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 20 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: three years
BELLY MULE was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Carroll, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On the evening of March 28, 2011, P.L.L.B. was with BELLY MULE at his residence in Lame Deer. The two had been drinking and BELLY MULE was intoxicated. BELLY MULE became angry with P.L.L.B. after he learned that P.L.L.B. did not have some jewelry that he had purchased for P.L.L.B. (P.L.L.B.’s daughters had taken the jewelry to wear that evening). BELLY MULE kicked P.L.L.B. twice in the face with “dress shoes,” kicked P.L.L.B. in the legs, punched P.L.L.B. repeatedly with closed fists, dragged P.L.L.B. around by the hair, and bit and choked P.L.L.B.
P.L.L.B. was taken to the IHS Clinic in Lame Deer and treated for the injuries. The treating physician stated that P.L.L.B.’s injuries constituted “serious bodily injury.”
On March 29, 2011, when interviewed, P.L.L.B. indicated that the injuries caused her extreme physical pain.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that BELLY MULE will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, BELLY MULE 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.