All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Wyoming has shared the following press release:
United States Attorney Mark A. Klaassen announced on Friday, March 27th, that Renfred Earl Aoah, age 29, a resident of Fort Washakie, was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 18, 2020, for three counts of assaulting an intimate partner by both strangling and suffocating her.
The Indictment alleges that on three separate occasions in 2019, the defendant knowingly and unlawfully either strangled or suffocated his intimate partner during the course of a domestic altercation.
“My office continues to prioritize the prosecution of violent crime, which can have such dramatic negative effects on our communities,” said United States Attorney Mark Klaassen. “We appreciate the efforts of the FBI to investigate these matters.”
The maximum penalty upon conviction for each count of assault by strangulation and/or suffocation is up to ten (10) years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and $100 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution for the victim’s injuries and loss may also be ordered.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation took Aoah into custody on March 25, 2020, in a continued commitment to safety in the Wind River Reservation community.
Aoah had his initial appearance before Chief United States District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl on March 27, 2020. Judge Skavdahl remanded the defendant to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending a detention and arraignment hearing scheduled for April 1, 2020. A trial date has not yet been set.
The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Wind River Police Department.