Parker Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Assaulting Estranged Wife

January 26, 2010 - Francisco Cuadras, 27, of Parker, Ariz., was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 53 months in federal prison for committing Aggravated Assault causing serious bodily injury to the victim. The victim was his estranged wife, a member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. The defendant and the victim also have a 16-month-old child together.

On July 19, 2009, Cuadras was intoxicated and angry, and pounded on the door to the victim’s home late at night with his brother. The defendant demanded to know who was inside. The victim, who was at her home with a girlfriend and the girlfriend’s young child, let the defendant inside. The defendant and victim started arguing, and the defendant kicked the victim in the face at least three times. The defendant’s brother came in and tried to stop the assaults by restraining the defendant. Cuadras was too strong for his brother, freed himself from his brother’s grasp, and continued assaulting the victim by kicking her anywhere he could. The victim was screaming “Stop Frankie! Stop Frankie!” The victim’s girlfriend was afraid of the defendant, and called police. Police found the victim laying face down covered in blood. The victim was flown by helicopter to a hospital in Las Vegas, where she had to have surgery for her broken nose. During an FBI interview of defendant about what happened, Cuadras claimed he only had a few beers and was sober, but answered “I don’t know” to questions about the assault.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Colorado River Indian Tribes Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Jennifer E. Green, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.