Pearl River Woman Pleads Guilty to Assault on the Choctaw Indian Reservation

Jackson, Miss. - A tribal member pleaded guilty on February 18, 2026, to the charge of assault resulting in serious bodily injury of another tribal member on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Gabriel Billie, Director of Choctaw Public Safety for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
According to court documents, Amery Ketcher, 30, of the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation, stabbed the victim with a knife which resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim.
In March of 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Ketcher on the assault charge. Ketcher pleaded guilty to the assault and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20, 2026. Ketcher faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger commended the work of the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, who investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy.
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