A tribal court jury found a former Chippewa Cree police lieutenant guilty of assault and battery.
Kyle LaFromboise has been convicted of beating a man who was with his former girlfriend at the time. LaFromboise’s jury trial ended Dec. 5. A tribal court administrator said his sentencing date has been changed from Dec. 20 to Jan. 6.
LaFromboise was also charged with domestic violence and breaking and entering. He was found innocent on those counts.
Tribal court documents said another former tribal police officer, Cody LaMere, was present at the time and took part in the attack.
LaMere was found innocent of all charges by a jury.
Despite LaMere’s exoneration, both men were suspended from the police force shortly after the charges became official. Officials charged them last April and May.
Chippewa Cree Police Chief Larry Bernard told the Herald Dec. 20 that LaFromboise and LaMere no longer work for the Chippewa Cree Police Department, located on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation.
“They’re done,” Bernard said. “Yup, they’re not coming back.”
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Original tribal court documents said LaFromboise and LaMere broke into a Box Elder residence at 4 a.m. on April 22 by using a card to unlock the back door. A man and a woman were sleeping inside.
LaFromboise punched and kicked the man. Official charging documents said that LaMere also hit the man.
Later that day, about 4 p.m., Chippewa Cree Police received a call about a possible domestic violence incident.
Chippewa Cree officers responded to a Laredo Road residence and found LaFromboise with the woman who had been in the house where the man was attacked earlier. LaFromboise and the woman share a child together and had previously been in a relationship. LaFromboise had hit the woman in the face, causing swelling, bruising and a swollen eye, according to charging documents.
LaFromboise is not considered a flight risk and is free on his own recognizance, according to a tribal clerk.
The public affairs director for Department of the Interior Indian Affairs told the Herald in May that once tribal police concluded its investigation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services Internal Affairs Division would conduct an administrative investigation.
Editor’s note: This article has been updated to clarify that LaMere was found innocent of the charges.
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Email Paul Dragu at [email protected]
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