From the Courts - Federal Court : Fort Belknap man sentenced to prison for strangling woman

Press release

GREAT FALLS— A Fort Belknap man convicted of assaulting and strangling a woman in Lodge Pole, on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, last year was sentenced in Federal District Court Wednesday to 28 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

After a two day trial in January, a jury found Jordan Alexander Werk, 32, guilty of assault by striking, beating or wounding and of strangulation.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The prosecution presented evidence at trial that Werk assaulted and strangled the victim April 8, 2019, in Lodge Pole in Blaine County and on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. The victim reported April 8, 2019, that Werk had assaulted her by grabbing her hair and throwing her to the ground. Werk kicked her in the chest, punched her in the head and choked her, causing her to see stars and have trouble breathing.

The victim also told law enforcement that during the assault, Werk told her that he knew how to hit someone to not show bruises and that if she was going to act like a victim, then he would treat her like one. The victim was treated for injuries, including a broken rib, at the Indian Health Service in Harlem.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Fort Belknap tribal law enforcement.