Checora Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Voluntary Manslaughter Conviction

            SALT LAKE CITY – Grant Hubert Checora, age 23, of Ft. Duchesne, who pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while within Indian Country in January, will serve 60 months in federal prison.  Checora will be on supervised release for 36 months once he finishes his prison sentence.  U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball imposed the sentence Monday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City.

            As a part of a plea agreement reached in the case, Checora admitted that he killed an individual identified as E.C. on June 11, 2014.  The victim, an enrolled member of the Ute Indian Tribe, was killed on the Uintah and Ouray Reservation.  Checora admitted that he acted recklessly with extreme disregard for human life by killing E.C., while in a sudden quarrel.  Checora is also an enrolled member of the Ute Indian Tribe.

            The charges stem from a June 11, 2014, incident in the Little Chicago Community of Fort Duchesne.  Bureau of Indian Affairs officers responded to a shooting about 2 a.m.  A confrontation between two groups preceded the shooting.  The case was investigated by the BIA and the FBI.

            Checora was initially indicted on murder in the second degree, two counts of discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and attempt to commit murder while in Indian Country.  A felony information charging voluntary manslaughter was filed in connection with the plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors.  The charges in the indictment were dismissed at the sentencing hearing Monday.

            Kimball recommended that Checora receive vocational rehabilitation and participate in the Tribal Reentry Court when he finishes his federal sentence.