A 35-year-old man from Lenore, Idaho, was sentenced today to two years in federal prison for assaulting a woman at the Nez Perce Indian Reservation in Idaho. Lonnie Lee Bisbee, who is an enrolled member of the Umatilla Tribe, had pleaded guilty on June 10, 2020, to assaulting the mother of his child.
William D. Hyslop, US Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, announced Bisbee's sentence said in a statement, "Domestic violence against women and crimes of violence like what occurred here cannot be tolerated in our society."
A Brutal Assault
According to information made available during court proceedings, Bisbee assaulted the mother of his child during their journey to a doctor's appointment. Also accompanying the couple was their infant son and one of Bisbee's other minor children.
He is said to have over the vehicle, choked the woman, and thrown her to the ground. Bisbee also confessed to the authorities that he places his forearm over the victim's neck like a "forearm shiver." He then "yanked her to the ground," leading her head to "ping" on the road, face first.
Talking about the crime, Paul Haertel, FBI Special Agent in Salt Lake City, said, "The severe assault by Lonnie Bisbee will not only have long-lasting effects on the victim, but on the young children, who should never have to witness such violence."
No Quarters for Domestic Abusers
Bisbee's sentence is not confined to a two-year prison term alone. It is set to be followed by a three-year term of court supervision following his release from the federal prison. David C. Nye, Chief United States District Judge for the District of Idaho, handed Bisbee his sentence.
Stressing on the importance of the sentence in serving as a deterrent for such crimes, Hyslop added, "The Court's sentence rendered here should be a message that there are repercussions and jail time awaiting those who abuse and hurt others in this manner."
