GREAT FALLS — Dewayne C. Shoots, Jr., of Poplar, accused of stabbing two people at a Wolf Point residence, admitted in federal court in Great Falls to assault charges on Wednesday, December 15, 2021.
U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said in a news release that Shoots, 28 years old, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging him with two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
The crime carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
The government alleged in court documents that on March 5, 2020, a Wolf Point police officer was dispatched to a residence at about 1:09 a.m, after a caller reported that Shoots had stabbed multiple victims.
The officer saw a victim, identified as John Doe, outside the residence and covered in blood. Doe said that Shoots had stabbed him.
Another victim, identified as Jane Doe, was inside the residence and had also been stabbed by Shoots.
Witnesses confirmed they saw Shoots fighting with the two victims, and then Shoots stabbed both John Doe and Jane Doe.
Both victims sustained serious injuries. Court documents state:
As a result of the assault, John Doe and Jane Doe suffered serious bodily injury. John Doe suffered multiple wounds to his upper back and a six-inch laceration that ran from his right ear to the base of his neck. John Doe also had two serious arterial bleeds under his scalp that doctors had a difficult time controlling. John Doe lost approximately one-third of his total blood volume as a result of the assault. John Doe’s injuries include lifelong scarring, and if he was not treated as swiftly by medical personnel, John Doe would have died.
Jane Doe suffered two stab wounds to her abdomen, one of which was approximately 5 inches deep. Jane Doe advised that the pain she suffered was extreme, including that the pain from the stab wounds was worse than the pain associated with breaking a bone. Jane Doe also suffered a fractured eye socket and bruising to the left side of her face because the defendant kicked her in the face.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided and scheduled sentencing for April 7, 2022. Morris will determine a sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Shoots remains jailed pending further proceedings.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy A. Johnson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Wolf Point Police Department and Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office.
