A Havre man convicted of domestic assault after breaking his girlfriend’s nose during an argument on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was sentenced on Monday to 54 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
James John Russell McConnell, 44, pleaded guilty in September to domestic assault by habitual offender.
U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and ordered the 54-month sentence be served consecutively to a seven month sentence imposed in a revocation after McConnell violated conditions while on supervised release for a previous conviction.
The prosecution said in court records that McConnell, who has three previous convictions for domestic assault, assaulted his girlfriend on June 23, 2018 in Hays.
He did this by bear-hugging her to where it was painful and hard to breathe and verbally threatened her. The victim was treated for a broken nose at the Northern Montana Hospital.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Paulette Stewart prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Fort Belknap law enforcement and the FBI.
