A man already serving a life sentence for murder has been sentenced to an additional 13 years in prison for assault with intent to commit murder on the Yakama Reservation. United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastain handed down the 162-month sentence to Jordan Stevens, 35, following his conviction for shooting a victim in Toppenish, Washington.
According to court documents and information presented at sentencing, on October 6, 2018, Yakama Nation Tribal Police responded to reports of gunfire at a residence. Investigators determined that Stevens shot the victim in the chest after accusing him of “ripping him off.” The victim survived after being taken to the hospital by a friend and was released several days later. At the time of sentencing, Stevens was already serving a life term for a separate murder committed in 2019 involving a member of the Yakama Nation.
United States Attorney Pete Serrano stated: “The community must see that every act of serious violence carries its own consequence, and that the justice system will respond decisively to deter others from engaging in similar acts of rage or retaliation. This prosecution serves to protect the public by reinforcing the rule of law and underscoring that even those already in custody are subject to the same standards of accountability and respect for human life as anyone else.”
During sentencing, Assistant United States Attorney Bree Black Horse noted that while Stevens is already serving life in prison, this new offense deserved its own penalty. “A maximum Guideline sentence of 162 months imprisonment is necessary to affirm that the Court and the law will not tolerate the use of firearms to resolve personal disputes, and that each act of violence—even by someone who is already serving a life term—carries independent moral and legal weight,” Black Horse said. She further explained that this punishment “reinforces the principle that serious acts of violence will not be excused or ignored, even when committed by someone already serving a lengthy or life term. A maximum Guideline sentence communicates to others—particularly those who might otherwise view incarceration as a shield against further accountability—that violent conduct will no go unpunished, regardless of a defendant’s existing term of imprisonment.”
W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office commented: “Even though Mr. Stevens is already serving a life sentence for murder, he still must be held accountable for this violent crime. The FBI and our partners are committed to pursuing justice for each and every one of these violent acts on behalf of the victims and their communities.”
This case falls under the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program which seeks solutions through collaboration among federal agencies and Tribal authorities aimed at preventing violence against Indigenous people.
The investigation was conducted by both FBI agents and Yakama Nation Tribal Police Department officers. Prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Bree R. Black Horse.
