District of North Dakota
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Kansas Man Sentenced for Williston Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Jan. 23, 2013, Kent A. Clemens, 53, Topeka, Kan., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland on a charge of bank robbery. Clemens pleaded guilty to the charge on Oct. 22, 2012.
Judge Hovland sentenced Clemens to serve three years and one month in federal prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Clemens was ordered to pay restitution of $500 and to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund.
On July 18, 2012, Clemens entered the Gate City Bank in Williston and demanded money from a teller. After receiving money, Clemens fled on foot from the bank. Clemens then traveled to Topeka. On July 21, 2012, Clemens contacted the Topeka Police Department and reported the he was the person who robbed the Gate City Bank in Williston. Investigators recovered some of the money from Clemens’s sister, who advised Clemens had given the money to her after returning from North Dakota.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Williston Police Department and the Topeka Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Volk prosecuted the case.
Belcourt Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Jan. 23, 2013, Nodin J. Azure, 24, Belcourt, N.D., pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to a charge of sexual abuse.
On May 24, 2011, Azure went into a bedroom where the victim was sleeping and proceeded to have sexual intercourse with the victim. When the victim awoke, she pushed Azure off of her, fled the residence, and drove to the hospital.
The charge of sexual abuse carries a statutory maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Turtle Mountain Agency.
Sentencing for Azure has been scheduled for May 20, 2013, in U.S. District Court in Minot, N.D., at 10:00 a.m.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandi Sasse Russell is prosecuting the case.
Fargo Man Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking and Aiding and Abetting a Robbery in Furtherance of the Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
FARGO - U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Jan. 8, 2013, Fred Miles Thompson of Fargo, N.D., was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Erickson on charges of drug trafficking and aiding and abetting a robbery in furtherance of the drug trafficking.
Judge Erickson sentenced Thompson to 40 years’ imprisonment on the drug conspiracy charge and to life imprisonment on the aiding and abetting a robbery charge in furtherance of drug trafficking. The life sentence is to run consecutive to the 40 year sentence.
Thompson, 55, pleaded guilty on Oct. 4, 2012, to distributing methamphetamine in the Fargo area and admitted to distributing more than 50 grams but less than 200 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine during the course of the conspiracy.
In furtherance of the drug trafficking conspiracy, Thompson admitted to aiding and abetting the use of a firearm by requesting Steve Gibson, Mason Peet and Charles Butcher to commit the robbery of the Stop-N-Go at 23rd Street South in Fargo on Oct. 26, 2011.
The investigation revealed that Gibson, Peet and Butcher used a .22 caliber rifle during the robbery.
The incidents occurred from January through December of 2011 in the District of North Dakota.
Steve Gibson pleaded guilty in Cass County District Court to criminal conspiracy and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. Mason Peet pleaded guilty in Cass County District Court to robbery and terrorizing and was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. Charles Butcher was convicted of criminal conspiracy by a jury on June 20, 2012, in Cass County District Court and was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Cass County Drug Task Force, and the Fargo Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chris Myers and Tara Iversen prosecuted the case.
Cando Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BISMARCK – U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Jan. 7, 2013, Jerry W. Gibson, 46, Cando, N.D., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland on a charge of possession of materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors. Gibson pleaded guilty to the charge on Aug. 22, 2012.
Judge Hovland sentenced Gibson to serve six years and six months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Gibson must register as a sex offender. Gibson was also ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund.
From an unknown time up until Jan. 19, 2012, Gibson possessed images on his home computer which depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Gibson admitted using the internet to receive and possess those images.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Turtle Mountain Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the N.D. Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandi Sasse Russell prosecuted the case.
Belcourt Man Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
BISMARCK - U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Jan. 7, 2013, Koleman J. Gourneau, 30, of Belcourt, N.D., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel L. Hovland on a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Gourneau pleaded guilty to the charge on Sept. 24, 2012.
Judge Hovland sentenced Gourneau to four years and nine months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gourneau was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Vcitim’s Fund.
On Oct. 12, 2011, Gourneau left Betty’s Bar, located west of Belcourt on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation, driving his Ford Bronco. At the time, Gourneau was under the influence of intoxicating liquor. Shortly after leaving the bar, Gourneau’s vehicle struck a person, causing significant injuries to her which resulted in her death.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs - Turtle Mountain Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the N.D. Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the N.D. Highway Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandi Sasse Russell prosecuted the case.
Fort Totten Man Sentenced for Assaulting the Bureau of Indian Affair Chief of Police on the Spirit Lake Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
FARGO - U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on Jan. 2, 2013, Brandt Richard Yankton, a/k/a Brandt Richard Jetty of Fort Totten, N.D., was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Ralph R. Erickson on a charge of assault on a federal officer resulting in bodily injury.
Judge Erickson sentenced Yankton to 27 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. Yankton was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim's Fund.
Yankton, 24, pleaded guilty on Aug. 27, 2012, to biting through the skin of the right forearm of Bureau of Indian Affairs Chief of Police, Raymond Cavanaugh, while Chief Cavanaugh was arresting Yankton for a traffic violation. Chief Cavanaugh’s injury required medical attention and left a permanent scar. The incident occurred in April of 2012 on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Totten Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Janice M. Morley prosecuted the case.