Poplar man who stole truck after stabbing driver on Fort Peck Indian Reservation sentenced to 57 months in prison Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana Byline: Clair J. Howard Dateline: Great Falls, Montana Date: 8 January 2025 Subjects: American Government , Crime

GREAT FALLS — A Poplar man who admitted to robbery after carjacking a truck and stabbing the driver on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 57 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Brandon Lee Romero,30, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to robbery.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

In court documents, the government alleged that on April 14, 2023, the victim, identified as John Doe, was contacted by his sister who asked him to pick up Romero and give him a ride because she didn’t want him at her residence. John Doe agreed and, using his father’s truck, picked up Romero and began driving him to Poplar, on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. When Romero got out of the truck, John Doe noticed that Romero had pulled out two knives. John Doe attempted to drive away, but Romero jumped into the truck bed, kicked out the back window, climbed into the truck and stabbed John Doe. The victim exited the truck, and Romero got into the driver’s seat. Romero drove the stolen truck into Williams County, near Williston, North Dakota, and was arrested later that day by law enforcement after he got into a high-speed chase. Romero drove the vehicle into a ditch to avoid spike strips set up by law enforcement, submerged the vehicle in a creek and fled on foot until ultimately surrendering.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Fort Peck Law Enforcement Services, the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office and the Williston (N.D.) Police Department conducted the investigation.

XXX

Clair J. Howard

Public Affairs Officer

406-247-4623

Clair.Howard@usdoj.gov

Updated January 8, 2025

Press Release Number: 25-05