PHOENIX (Lawfuel) – Immanuel Cassa, 32, of San Carlos, Ariz., a member of the San Carlos Apache Indian Tribe, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton to six years in federal prison for assaulting another man with a knife. Cassa pleaded guilty on January 24, 2008 to Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The six year sentence will run consecutively to a 37 month sentence previously imposed on April 23, 2007 by U.S. District Court Judge Neil V. Wake for a separate federal firearms violation.
On August 4, 2006, the victim, a 21-year-old member of the San Carlos Apache Indian Tribe, was walking near the Talkalai Bridge on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation when he was approached by Cassa. Without apparent provocation, Cassa recklessly cut the victim three times with a knife resulting in wounds to his chest and back from which he recovered.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the San Carlos Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Thomas C. Simon, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
