Lodge Pole, MT – A pair of transients are facing serious federal time after admitting to charges stemming from a brazen attempted theft and subsequent assault at the Red Paint Creek Trading Post on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Dustin Alan Robbins, 38, and Nicole Lynn Hicks, 37, pleaded guilty to intimidation charges, a move that could land them behind bars for a decade.
The incident, which unfolded November 1, 2021, wasn’t a simple shoplifting. According to court documents, Hicks walked into the store and swiped a 30-pack of beer without paying. When a store employee, a Native American woman, attempted to recover the stolen goods, things escalated quickly. Hicks tossed the beer and attempted to flee, and that’s when Robbins, already banned from the reservation, launched into a violent attack.
Robbins physically assaulted the employee, and witnesses say he didn’t stop there. The store manager, also Native American, intervened, witnessing the assault and grabbing a rock in a desperate attempt to protect her employee. Robbins ceased the attack only when the manager shouted that the police had been called. As the pair fled, Hicks continued to scream, and Robbins reportedly threatened to burn the store to the ground, even claiming ties to the mafia – a hollow boast, according to sources.
This wasn’t a spontaneous act. Both Robbins and Hicks had already been excluded from the Fort Belknap Reservation following a previous incident near Hays in September 2021. Ignoring the ban, they returned and committed this latest crime. Tribal police quickly located the pair within reservation limits and removed them, turning them over to federal authorities.
Federal prosecutors are now building their case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Myers leading the charge. Robbins and Hicks each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a hefty $50,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines will be a key factor when the judge hands down the sentence, scheduled for January 24, 2024.
The FBI and Fort Belknap Law Enforcement worked jointly on the investigation, highlighting the ongoing collaboration between federal and tribal authorities in tackling crime on Native lands. This case serves as a stark reminder that targeting businesses and individuals on reservations will not be tolerated, and those who violate exclusion orders will face the full force of the law.
The incident also underscores a growing concern about non-Native individuals disregarding tribal sovereignty and entering reservations despite being explicitly banned. Sources within the Fort Belknap community expressed relief at the guilty pleas, hoping the sentencing will send a strong message to others considering similar actions.
Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as the sentencing date approaches. The full extent of Robbins and Hicks’ criminal history is currently under investigation, and we’ll bring you any further details as they emerge.
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Key Facts
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: U.S. Department of Justice
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