BILLINGS — A Lame Deer man was sentenced Friday in a Billings courtroom to two-and-a-half years in prison in federal prison for strangling a woman in the spring of 2019 on the Northern Cheyenne reservation.
Cameron Lee Russell Sr., 43, pleaded guilty to the strangulation charge in August, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said in a news release. He was also sentenced to three years supervised release.
Prosecutors stated in court records that Russell and the woman were arguing in a bedroom on March 13, 2019. The woman pretended to throw a baby bottle at Russell, and he rushed at her, got on top and began to strangle her with both hands, according to prosecutors.
Russell eventually stopped when a child entered the room, but the victim could not breathe or escape, prosecutors said. She sent children to call police.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
