Friday, September 24, 2010

Man Indicted for Assault on Indian Reservation

Devin James Pope Sr., 26, of Mount Pleasant was indicted on September 22, 2010, by a federal grand jury in Bay City, Michigan, United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade announced today.

Pope appeared for arraignment today on charges of domestic assault by an habitual offender.

McQuade was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge, Andrew G. Arena, Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The indictment charges that on August 30, 2010, Pope, assaulted his 20-year-old girlfriend on the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Reservation in Isabella County, Michigan. During the incident, it is alleged that Pope strangled the victim to the point that she could not breathe. The assault occurred while Pope was on bond for a domestic violence charge involving the same victim and after he had previously been convicted of domestic violence in 2009 and family violence in 2003.

If convicted as charged, Pope faces up to five years in prison.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Police and special agents of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roy Kranz.

No comments: