Wyoming Man Sentenced for Fort Peck Reservation Robbery Attempt

GREAT FALLS – Jesse Alex Sutherland, a 37-year-old Wyoming man, has been handed a three-year sentence for his brazen attempt to rob a residence on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. The sentence includes a mandatory three years of supervised release following prison.

Sutherland pleaded guilty in December last year to one count of attempted robbery. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris oversaw the sentencing yesterday.

The crime unfolded on the night of November 21, 2023. Sutherland and an armed co-defendant targeted a remote residence. The co-defendant discharged his rifle into the ground and sky outside before forcing entry. Inside, they brutally assaulted the occupants, demanding access to a safe. Surveillance footage captured Sutherland both before and after the incident.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah Paisley led the prosecution. FBI, BIA, and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law & Justice collaborated on the investigation. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal initiative aimed at reducing violent crime and enhancing public safety.

Project Safe Neighborhoods was bolstered on May 26, 2021, with a focus on fostering community trust, supporting preventive measures, strategic law enforcement, and measuring outcomes. For more information, visit Justice.gov/PSN.

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