BEMIDJI
A 29-year-old Red Lake, Minn., man pleaded guilty Friday in federal court in Minneapolis to assaulting a woman in May and breaking her nose.
Orville Dean White Jr., a member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa, pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. White, who was indicted on Aug. 19, entered his plea before U.S. District Court Judge John R. Tunheim.
In his plea agreement, White admitted that on May 1, he punched a female resident of the Red Lake Indian Reservation, breaking her nose.
For his crime, White faces a potential maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Tunheim will determine his sentence at a future hearing, yet to be scheduled.Meanwhile, White remains in custody.
ADVERTISEMENT
This case is the result of an investigation by the Red Lake Tribal Police Department and the FBI, with assistance from the Family Advocacy Center in Bemidji. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Clifford B. Wardlaw.
Because the Red Lake Indian Reservation is a federal-jurisdiction reservation, some of the crimes that occur there are investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Red Lake Tribal Police Department. Those cases are prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office.
The Bemidji Pioneer and the Herald are Forum Communications Co. newspapers.
