Toppenish Man Found Guilty of Assault by Strangulation
A federal jury convicted Rickie Lorenzo Smith of assaulting his partner by strangulation in Indian Country.
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A federal jury in Yakima, Washington, on August 19, 2025, found Rickie Lorenzo Smith, 51, a member of the Confederated Bands and Tribes of the Yakama Nation, guilty of one count of assault of a spouse, intimate partner, or dating partner by strangulation in Indian Country, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington. The verdict was announced on August 21, 2026, by First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Smith assaulted his then-partner by hitting, choking, and strangling her during a birthday celebration in Pioneer Park in Toppenish, Washington, on August 17, 2023. The jury acquitted Smith of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury. Chief United States District Judge Stanley A. Bastian presided over the trial and set sentencing for December 2, 2026. Smith faces up to 10 years in prison and up to 3 years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the FBI's Yakima Resident Agency and the Yakama Nation Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Courtney R. Pratten and Michael D. Murphy. The docket number is 1:25-CR-2039-SAB.
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- Version 123 Aug 2026, 01:59current
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