Off to Prison to Protect Native Women: U.P. tribal batters cut deals, face prison for a long history of strangling and/or beating Native women – U.P. Breaking News continues our ongoing series on the federal crackdown against habitual batters on tribal lands across northern Michigan – And this we do in honor of the late Tillie Black Bear – a national leader in the movement to protect Native Women

 

Facebook Photo: 2015 photo of David Baldwin, now subject of major federal domestic assault investigation involving two alleged victims. U.P. Breaking News has provided in-depth coverage of this case.

 

First Listen to the words of the Lake Great Tillie Black Bear – a national leader in the fight against domestic violence against Native women – Listen to Tillie Black Bear address at Northern Michigan University in Marquette not long before she began her walk

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2008/12/16/white-buffalo-calf-woman-society-celebrating-31-years-80133

https://victimsofcrime.org/media/news-releases/2014/07/23/the-national-center-for-victims-of-crime-remembers-tillie-black-bear

http://nativenewsonline.net/currents/grandmother-battered-womens-movement-tillie-black-bear-walks/

https://upbreakingnews.com/category/tillie-black-bear/

Prison term for habitual tribal domestic batterer: 28-year-old Justin Ryan Wykoff of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan – The federal crackdown on tribal domestic violence continues across northern Michigan

U.P. Breaking News updates other cases in which the tribal batterer is expected to go to prison

By Greg Peterson

U.P. Breaking News

Owner, News Director

906-273-2433

(Marquette, MI) -These guys apparently think they are super tough, til they cower before a scolding from a federal judge in Marquette.

For the past three years, federal prosecutors in northern Michigan have been filing charges and going to great effort to protect victims of habitual domestic violence.

28-year-old Justin Ryan Wykoff of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan was given three and a half years (42) months in federal prison without parole for habitual tribal batterer.

He was sentenced for domestic violence by a habitual offender on Nov. 7, 2016 by U.S. District Judge Paul L. Maloney.

Wykoff admitted attacking his live-in girlfriend on Dec. 18, 2015 in Chippewa County on tribal trust lands of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

The attacked occurred in the parking lot of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribal Health Center.

Sault Ste. Marie Tribal Police investigated the case after a witness came forward.

Like many being prosecuted in federal court in Marquette, Wykoff has a history of state and tribal domestic violence convictions involving the same girlfriend.

Judge Maloney condemned Wykoff’s treatment of women – as federal prosecutors continue sending tribal domestic violence offenders to prison for long terms.

Asst. U.S Attorney Hannah Bobee and Asst. U.S. Attorney Paul D. Lochner have been aggressively proceeding with habitual domestic violence cases on tribal lands. They have the backing of their boss in Grand Rapids – U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Miles, Jr.,- the head federal prosecutor for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan that includes the U.P.

Meanwhile in other tribal domestic violence cases:

38-year-old Scott Joseph Loonsfoot of L’Anse, MI:
A sentencing date has been set for 38-year-old Scott Joseph Loonsfoot of L’Anse, MI – as his presenting report was filed in federal court.

In a federal plea agreement, Loonsfoot admitted on April 15, 2016 he strangled his KBIC girlfriend.

In the agreement Loonsfoot admits the “factual basis of guilt.”

The attack occurred at a residence on the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community reservation in Baraga County.

Loonsfoot admitted that he strangled or attempted to strangle his dating partner. Both are Native American.

“During the altercation” with the victim, Loonsfoot “grabbed her by the neck and intentionally applied pressure” and the victim “could not breathe,” the plea agreement states.

The maximum sentence Loonsfoot could receive in his upcoming sentencing is 10 years in federal prison.

43-year-old Glenn Daniel Tolonen, Sr. of Baraga, Michigan is serving a two and a half years (30 months) in federal prison after being sentence earlier this year for habitual domestic violence.
Tolonen must also complete a 500 hour residential substance abuse program and a batterer’s treatment program. He will be placed on two years supervised release after serving his prison term.

Previous stories:

https://upperpeninsulabreakingnews.wordpress.com/2016/05/20/tribaldomesticviolencecrackdown/

U.P. Breaking News Exclusive: Two men charged with choking Upper Peninsula women in attempted strangulation in separate domestic violence cases

Domestic Violence is a U.P. shame and nightmare that happens daily: The choking and attempted strangulation of northern Michigan women is happening all too often

Robert Bert Curtis faces federal charges

Steven M. Devalle faces state charges

By Greg Peterson

News Director, Owner

Upper Peninsula Breaking News

(Marquette, MI) – The cases of two Upper Peninsula men accused of choking or attempting to strangle their girlfriends in separate cases were considered yesterday (Thurs., July 7, 2016) by judges in Marquette.

One case was in Marquette federal court yesterday for motions and the other suspect arraigned yesterday in Marquette County District Court.

48-year-old Robert Bert Curtis was recently indicted on one felony count of assault by strangulation in an Oct. 2014 attack on his girlfriend at the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community in Baraga County.

Steven Devalle in 2016 Marquette County Sheriff’s Dept. Mugshot

Meanwhile, a Gwinn man is charged with allegedly choking his girlfriend at her residence early Tuesday (July 5, 2016) took off and crashed his truck, according to Forsyth Township Police.

42-year-old Steven Devalle was treated at St. Joseph Hospital in Delta County for injuries connected to the wreck of his Ford Excursion on U.S. Highway 41 and Perkins 30.5 Rd.

A district court hearing is set for July 19.

Robert Bert Curtis:

Robert Bert Curtis in 2009 Baraga County Sheriff’s Dept. Mugshot

Curtis allegedly “assaulted his dating partner” – identified in the indictment only by the initials L.D.W., “by strangling and (he) attempting to strangle her,” according to the June 15, 2016 indictment returned by a federal grand jury sitting in Marquette. Both the male suspect and female victim are Native American, court records state.

Curtis allegedly attacked his girlfriend on Oct. 25, 2014, in “Baraga County, in Indian Country, on lands located within the exterior boundaries of the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community reservation,” the indictment states.

Steven Devalle:

Police were first called to the victim’s home to investigate a possible suicidal person and domestic assault. Devalle’s girlfriend told police that Devalle allegedly choked her and prevented her from calling 911.

The Marquette County Prosecutor’s Office filed two charges – assault by strangulation (10-year felony) and interfering with electronic communications (two-year felony) – for allegedly preventing the victim from calling 911.

It takes a lot for a person to be charged in federal court in connection with tribal domestic violence. Suspects must have three prior convictions for domestic violence related offenses either in tribal court and/or state courts before federal charges can be filed. However, federal prosecutors are aggressively prosecuting the cases.

A defense request for 21-day extension to file motions was filed yesterday (Thurs., July 7, 2016) by Assistant Federal Public Defender Elizabeth A. LaCosse of Marquette, MI and U.S. Interim Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Michigan Sharon A. Turek of Grand Rapids. Federal prosecutors did not file objections to the request, as often happens during the first months of charges winding through federal criminal court as often dates for various steps in the case get changed.

Thanks to the 2012 re-authorization of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, federal prosecutors across the country have been cracking down on habitual domestic violence on Native American Nations – including at all the reservations across the Upper Peninsula.

Federal prosecutor Hannah Bobee has been leading the charge against habitual domestic violence in the U.P. By turning the tables on the men and kicking their butts into prison.

Curtis remains in the Marquette County Jail following his arraignment on June 21, 2016 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy P. Greeley. Devalle also remains in the Marquette County Jail.

Curtis is charged in a single-count indictment alleging that he assaulted his dating partner, L.D.Q., an Indian female, by strangling and attempting to strangle her in violation of 18 USC §§ 113(a)(8), 113(b)(4), 2266(10), 1151 and 1153

An initial pretrial conference was set for July 12, 2016. The jury trial is tentatively set for September 2016 before U.S. District Court Judge Robert Holmes Bell. However, the dates could change.