A disturbing incident of violence against a law enforcement officer has resulted in a significant sentence for a Lodge Grass man. Earl Landon Old Chief, Jr., 36, has been sentenced to one year in prison for assaulting a Bureau of Indian Affairs officer.
The incident occurred on March 14, 2021, when BIA officers were pursuing co-defendant Darnell Lee Not Afraid, of Pryor, who was driving a stolen truck at high speeds through residential neighborhoods in Lodge Grass. Not Afraid stopped at a residence, got out of the truck and ran away, prompting the officer to pursue on foot into a residential yard as a crowd began to gather.
As the situation escalated, the officer drew his Taser, but Not Afraid turned toward the officer and grabbed a revolver from his waistband. The officer dropped his Taser, drew his service pistol and fired multiple times at Not Afraid, striking him at least once in the arm. After the shooting, the crowd, including Old Chief, became angry at the officer and some of the crowd accosted him.
According to court documents, Old Chief pointed the officer’s Taser at the officer’s face and then threw it at the officer’s head. The officer did not activate the Taser, but when Old Chief pointed it at him, the officer knew it had been activated because the Taser’s flashlight and red dot were on. It is disputed whether Old Chief threw a bottle at the officer’s head, narrowly missing him, but the fact remains that Old Chief’s actions posed a significant threat to the officer’s safety.
Old Chief pleaded guilty in September 2022 to assault on a federal officer. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided over the case and sentenced Old Chief to one year in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich announced the sentence, which reflects the seriousness of the offense and the need to protect law enforcement officers from violent attacks.
The case also involved co-defendants Darnell Lee Not Afraid and Darwyna Caylynn Catherine Bullshows. Not Afraid was sentenced earlier to a mandatory minimum five years in prison for pleading guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of assault on a federal officer, a crime of violence. Bullshows was sentenced to time served for her conviction in the case. The sentences in this case demonstrate the commitment of federal authorities to holding individuals accountable for violent crimes, particularly those that target law enforcement officers.
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Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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