Jasper Wade Half Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on April 23, 2013, before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, Jasper Wade Half, a 37-year-old resident of Crow Agency and an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe of Indians, pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Sentencing has been set for July 24, 2013. He is currently detained.

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

On May 20, 2011, Half and the victim were drinking alcohol in Hardin. They left together and were on the off-ramp outside Hardin when they began to argue. They pulled over and began to fist-fight. The victim beat up Half. Half got into his car and drove away across the interstate. He then turned around and returned to the exit. When Half was on the on ramp, he stopped, pulled out a .22 caliber rifle from the trunk, and shot at the victim. Half individually loaded the second round and fired again.

Shortly after Half shot the gun, he was arrested by Big Horn County Sheriff’s deputies. Half initially stated that he had aimed the gun “in the air.” Later, Half reconsidered his previous statement and explained that he had pointed the gun at the victim and then up in the air.

A witness saw the incident and explained that, to her, it looked like Half was pointing the gun at and shooting at the victim.

Half faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.