GREAT FALLS — Harry B. Azure of Wolf Point, who admitted to attacking a man in the head with a bat on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, was sentenced in federal court in Great Falls on Thursday, February 17, 2022.
Azure, 22 years old, pleaded guilty in October 2021 to assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
Prosecutors alleged that on November 19, 2019, in Wolf Point, Azure and another person broke through the door of the residence of the victim, identified as John Doe, hit the victim numerous times in the head with a small baseball bat, and left.
The victim initially was treated at a local hospital and then airlifted to a Billings hospital due to the severity of injuries.
Court documents state that he "suffered a large subdural hematoma, a subarachnoid hematoma, and an intracerebral hematoma, and underwent a major life-saving brain surgery and has had continuing complications resulting from the injuries he sustained."
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided and sentenced Azure to 32 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said in a news release.
Judge Morris also ordered $13,505 to be paid in restitution.
The other person who was charged in connection with the crime is Rick John Morales, Jr.; he pleaded guilty in November 2021.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Johnson, prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Fort Peck Tribal Police.
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