Two plead not guilty to attempted murder

Staff and wire report

The office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana said in a release Friday that two people pleaded not guilty in federal District Court in Great Falls to charges including attempted murder stemming from an incident involving an alleged abduction and firing of a shotgun March 17, 2019, on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.

The release said Leon Houle of Box Elder, 47, and Tabitha Gopher, 23, hometown unknown, each pleaded not guilty in federal District Court in Great Falls Sept. 13 to charges of assault with intent to commit murder, kidnapping, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

Court documents say each are accused of using a shotgun, which was discharged during the offense, while holding against their will and assaulting with the intent to commit murder a person listed as John Doe March 17, 2019, on Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.

Details of the investigation were not listed in documents in the case accessible by the public.

If convicted of the most serious crime, each faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release.

Both were detained pending further proceedings.

A trial was set for Nov. 16 in the cases.