Anthony James Castro Found Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that on February 28, 2012, in Billings, after a federal district court trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Jack D. Shanstrom, ANTHONY JAMES CASTRO, a 26-year-old resident of Lame Deer and an enrolled member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Indians, was found guilty of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault with a dangerous weapon. A sentencing date will be set at a later time. He is currently detained.

At trial, the following evidence and testimony was presented to the jury.

On April 18, 2011, CASTRO was drinking at his home in Muddy Cluster Community in Lame Deer, which is within the exterior boundaries of the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. He and his girlfriend had an argument, so CASTRO went outside. While outside, he saw the victim walking down the street. CASTRO and the victim began arguing with each other. CASTRO left his front porch and walked into his yard and confronted the victim. After further argument, CASTRO went back into his house and retrieved a metal curtain rod. CASTRO then went back outside and he and the victim began to fight in the street. During the fight, CASTRO hit the victim with the metal curtain rod, pulled out a pocket knife, and stabbed the victim twice, once in the left cheek and once in the left side just below his heart.

The victim was taken to the IHS Clinic in Lame Deer where the treating medical professional stated that the victim’s injuries were serious bodily injury because the victim had “extreme physical pain” and “protracted and obvious disfigurement” from the two permanent scars from the knife wounds.

CASTRO was interviewed and claimed self defense, but later admitted he initiated the fight and that the victim was unarmed.

Assistant U.S. Attorney E. Vincent Carroll prosecuted the case for the United States.

CASTRO faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release on each count.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.