Ha-Kwa Chiquiti, 38, a member of the Suquamish Indian Tribe, was sentenced this week to five months in federal prison for a savage domestic assault on his intimate partner during a two-day rampage in December 2015. The attack, which left the woman bloodied and hospitalized, unfolded on tribal land and triggered a joint investigation by the Suquamish Police Department and the FBI. Chiquiti will also serve three years of supervised release, including three months of home detention and 100 hours of community service.
The beating occurred on December 22 and 23, 2015, when Chiquiti turned violently on his girlfriend in a home on Suquamish territory. Responding officers found the woman covered in blood, barely able to move. She had been punched, slammed face-first into the edge of a bathtub, and had her back stepped on while lying defenseless on the floor. The attack fractured her eye socket, left her with lasting vision problems, and marked by deep cuts and widespread bruising.
She was rushed to Harrison Hospital in Bremerton, where doctors treated her for substantial injuries. In statements to investigators, the victim described the terror of being forcibly restrained and beaten without mercy. Medical records confirm lasting physical and psychological trauma from the assault. At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle condemned Chiquiti’s actions as a serious, violent crime that caused profound suffering.
Chiquiti pleaded guilty to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury, a federal offense under the Indian Country provisions of U.S. law. As part of his sentence, he is mandated to complete a domestic violence and anger management program—a condition aimed at addressing the root causes of his violent behavior. Federal prosecutors emphasized the need for accountability in domestic violence cases, especially in tribal communities where jurisdictional challenges often delay justice.
U.S. Attorney Annette L. Hayes announced the sentencing, underscoring the federal government’s commitment to protecting victims in Indian Country. “This was not a dispute. This was a brutal, one-sided attack on a vulnerable person who trusted the defendant,” Hayes said. “We will continue to work with tribal law enforcement to ensure such violence is met with swift and certain consequences.”
The case was investigated by the Suquamish Police Department and the FBI, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Tate London and Ye-Ting Woo. Chiquiti is prohibited from any contact with the victim for the duration of his supervised release. His imprisonment marks a rare federal intervention in domestic violence crimes occurring on tribal lands, where justice has historically been under-enforced.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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