Yakima, WA – In a shocking display of violence, Anthony John Maldonado, 32, was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for assaulting and strangling his partner, E.J. in Wapato, Washington.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced Maldonado’s sentence, which will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian also issued a 3-year federal no-contact order for the protection of the victim.
According to court documents, on April 6, 2024, Maldonado and E.J. were at her apartment when they began to argue in a bedroom. During the argument, Maldonado punched E.J. in the head, causing her to fall to the floor. He then kicked and punched her while she was on the ground, before strangle-ing her. E.J. managed to escape to the kitchen and call the police.
This is not the first time Maldonado has assaulted E.J. The couple had an eight-year history of domestic violence, with multiple convictions in Yakama Nation Tribal Court. Just two months prior to the assault that led to federal charges, Maldonado entered into a Deferred Sentence Agreement in Yakama Nation Tribal Court, which included a requirement that he not harm or harass E.J.
At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge Bastian found that the Yakama Nation Tribal Court’s “no harm or harass order” represented a “court protection order” under the Violence Against Women Act. Assistant United States Attorney Bree Black Horse highlighted the severity of the offense, stating that an assault involving non-fatal strangulation is a serious crime, especially in cases involving Indigenous victims.
The FBI investigated the case, with Assistant United States Attorney Bree R. Black Horse handling the prosecution. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to prevent and respond to missing or murdered Indigenous people.
“The pattern of traumatic abuse and domestic violence Mr. Maldonado inflicted on his partner is unconscionable,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “The FBI will remain steadfast in its dedication to rooting out this type of violence in our tribal communities.”
Case number: 1:24-cr-02057-SAB
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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