Warm Springs Gang Member Sentenced to 15 ½ Years in Prison for Attempt to Kill Deputy U.S. Marshal

PORTLAND, OR—On September 27, 2011, U.S. District Judge Garr M. King sentenced Aldo Inez Antunez Sr., 33, of Warm Springs, to 188 months in prison for attempting to kill a deputy U.S. Marshal. On July 13, 2011, the defendant pled guilty to the crime of attempted murder of an employee of the United States. The sentence was ordered to be served consecutively to a 15-year state sentence the defendant is currently serving for attempted murder. Following the service of his federal prison sentence the defendant will serve three years of supervised release.

On July 22, 2010, the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force was on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation to arrest the defendant on an outstanding state arrest warrant. The state charges arose from the defendant’s involvement in the attempted murder of several local Madras police officers. The task force agents located the defendant inside a residence on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, surrounded the residence and, using a loud speaker, announced that they had a warrant for his arrest and they needed him to come out of the house. In response, the defendant used a high-powered rifle to shoot at Deputy U.S. Marshal Vincent Byford. Deputy Byford had taken cover behind a tree across from the house so he could keep an eye on the residence. The defendant took two shots at Deputy Byford, narrowly missing him on each occasion. The first shot hit a tree near Deputy Byford’s head. The second shot passed behind Deputy Byford’s head and he felt and heard the concussion of the bullet as it passed by him. After seeing the defendant raise his rifle again, in order to take a third shot, Deputy Byford returned fire and struck the defendant in the torso. Shortly thereafter, the defendant crawled out of the house and surrendered.

In imposing the sentence, Judge King stated that this was the “most egregious case” he has seen since becoming a federal judge and the intended victim was very fortunate to be alive. In concluding the hearing, Judge King noted that the defendant was a “violent gang member” who “clearly has no respect for human life” and that public safety demanded such a lengthy prison sentence.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force, and the Warm Springs Tribal Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Kerin and Craig Gabriel prosecuted the case.