Lame Deer man sentenced to 12 years in prison for assaulting federal officers on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

BILLINGS - A Lame Deer man who assaulted federal officers on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 150 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.

Caleb Raymond Carter, 40, was found guilty at a December 2025 trial of two counts of assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon, and one count of use of a firearm during or in relation to a crime of violence.

U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.

The government alleged in court documents and at trial that John Does 1 and 2 are federal law enforcement officers employed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. On May 2, 2025, John Doe 1 responded to a 911 call in Lame Deer. The caller, Jane Doe, advised Carter was drunk and was yelling at her mother, causing her to fear for her mother's safety. By the time Doe 1 responded, the disturbance had subsided. Doe 1 contacted Jane Doe and her brother and confirmed they were safe. He instructed Jane Doe to call 911 again if there were any other issues. He cleared the residence.

Later the same day, Jane Doe called 911 again to report Carter had woken up and was "yelling around." Again, Jane Doe expressed concern for her family's physical safety. She also advised Carter may be armed with a firearm. John Does 1 and 2 responded to the residence in separate, marked patrol vehicles. Both officers activated their emergency lights and parked at the northeast corner of the property.

They approached a camper trailer on the property Carter had been using as a bedroom but no one responded to their knock on the door or their announcement that they were BIA police.

John Doe 1 proceeded to the nearby residence and was greeted at the door by Jane Doe's brother. As he was speaking with the brother, Doe 1 heard a loud bang that he immediately recognized as a gunshot. Both Doe 1 and Doe 2 drew their duty weapons and retreated from the door. They advised dispatch that shots had been fired and commanded the occupants of the camper to exit. Eventually, Carter and his wife emerged from the trailer with their hands raised and both were taken into custody.

Law enforcement searched and photographed the camper trailer, noting a hole in the door consistent with a gun shot. They seized a 20-gauge shotgun in an overheard cabinet across from the door of the camper and observed a spent shell casing stuck inside the chamber. They also located and seized a box of 20-gauge ammunition from a kitchen cabinet.

During an interview with law enforcement, Carter claimed he had had "issues" with law enforcement entering onto the property in the past, and had posted a "No Trespassing" sign on the gate in an effort to deter them from doing so. He admitted he watched John Doe 1 access the property the first time and said he locked a gate after the officer left.

An FBI analyst examined the firearm and determined it functioned normally and would not have discharged accidentally.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the BIA.

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