Theodore Edward Whitford, Jr. Sentenced in U.S. District Court
| U.S. Attorney’s Office August 16, 2013 |
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on August 15, 2013, before Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, Theodore Edward Whitford, Jr., a 27-year-old resident of Box Elder and an enrolled member of the federally recognized Chippewa Cree Indian Tribe, was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 20 months
- Special assessment: $100.00
- Supervised release: three years
Whitford, Jr. 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 Danna R. Jackson, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On April 8, 2011, Whitford, Jr. turned the vehicle he was driving west into the Northern Winz Casino parking lot and was struck by another vehicle traveling north on Highway 87. This vehicle had the right-of-way.
A toxicology report indicated that Whitford, Jr. had a BAC of 0.265 and screened positive for both opiates and THC. The crash occurred within the exterior boundaries of the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.
As a result of the crash, a passenger in the other vehicle was seriously injured. The passenger was diagnosed with a hip fracture and required hospitalization.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that Whitford, Jr. will likely serve all the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, Whitford, Jr. 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, Hill County Sheriff’s Office, and the Rocky Boy’s Police Department.