POCATELLO and BOISE – Walter Excessive Eagle, 51, of Fort Corridor, and John Roger March, 60, of Boise, had been every sentenced this week in U.S. District Court docket for separate crimes in opposition to federal officers, U.S. Lawyer Josh Hurwit introduced at this time.
Eagle was sentenced to 144 months in federal jail for assault on an officer and for the usage of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. In line with court docket information, on July 17, 2020, Fort Corridor Police and particular brokers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation had info that Eagle, a convicted felon, was unlawfully in possession of a firearm. Legislation enforcement sought and obtained a search warrant for Eagle’s residence on the Fort Corridor Indian Reservation so they might enter to search out the gun. As officers known as out “police” and entered Eagle’s residence on the bottom stage ground, Eagle, on an higher stage, started yelling down the steps on the officers, stating that he had a gun and would shoot. Officers had been on the backside of the steps and Eagle was standing in shut proximity, almost straight above them on the prime of the steps. Eagle advised the officers to go away. They responded by asking him to return outdoors, and Eagle fired the gun. He then said that he would shoot officers on the primary stage by way of the ground of the second stage, the place Eagle was positioned. One of many officers who Eagle shot at was a detective with the Fort Corridor Police Division, who, beneath federal regulation, is a federal officer whereas engaged within the efficiency of her detective duties.
Some hours later, an FBI SWAT staff arrived. Because the staff started to launch tear fuel into Eagle’s residence to get him out of the home, Eagle fired a shot on the FBI armored automobile, almost placing an FBI Particular Agent who was standing close to the automobile.
Eagle admitted knowingly and deliberately assaulting the detective and the agent by firing his gun. On February 16, 2022, Eagle pleaded responsible to the 2 prices of assault on an officer and to the separate crime of utilizing the firearm whereas assaulting the officers.
Senior U.S. District Choose B. Lynn Winmill sentenced Eagle to 24 months in federal jail for every of the assault convictions and ten extra years in federal jail for utilizing the firearm in furtherance of the assault. Choose Winmill additionally ordered Eagle to serve three years of supervised launch after he completes his jail sentence.
“The rise in assaults on federal regulation enforcement officers—and regulation enforcement generally—is disturbing and won’t be tolerated,” stated U.S. Lawyer Hurwit. “We’ll proceed to ship to jail those that commit crimes in opposition to the courageous women and men who dedicate themselves to defending our communities.”
March was sentenced to 37 months in federal jail for threatening a federal officer. In line with court docket information, on January 20, 2021, March stole a rug from a publish workplace in Boise. The following day, three postal inspectors from the US Postal Inspection Service and a Boise Police officer went to March’s residence in Boise to query him in regards to the theft. March grew to become hostile with regulation enforcement.
A number of moments later, a postal inspector noticed March flip his automobile round and drive again in direction of the postal inspector. March continued in direction of the postal inspector till March’s right-side mirror collided with the postal inspector’s authorities automobile. Officers arrested March for assault.
The next day, March made a threatening phone name from the Ada County Jail with intent to impede, intimidate, and intrude with the postal inspector’s efficiency of his official duties. Particularly, throughout the name, March made threatening statements in opposition to the postal inspector.
March was sentenced to 37 months in federal jail by Chief U.S. District Choose David C. Nye. Choose Nye additionally ordered March to serve three years of supervised launch after he completes his jail sentence.
U.S. Lawyer Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of the FBI and Fort Corridor Police Division, in addition to the Boise Police Division and the US Postal Inspection Service, for his or her work on these respective instances.
The U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of Idaho is dedicated to prosecuting those that hurt or threaten to hurt regulation enforcement and public officers. Further latest instances involving threats to public servants prosecuted by the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the District of Idaho are linked beneath:
Twin Falls Man Sentenced for Threatening to Kill a Prosecutor
Middleton Man Sentenced for Threatening an FBI Agent
Nampa Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms Violation
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