黑料福利社

A man has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for beating, stomping and injuring a woman on the Yakama Reservation in September 2024.

George Joseph Visaya Jr., 21, of Toppenish was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Yakima to 46 months in prison. He pleaded guilty in January to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon as part of a plea agreement.

The dangerous weapon was the pair of white Nike shoes Visaya was wearing when he beat his girlfriend of three years and kicked and stomped on her face and prone body at Charley's Pond west of Toppenish on Sept. 8, 2024. Visaya's shoes, pants and body "were covered in blood," according to information from law enforcement in court documents.

When Yakama Nation Tribal Police and Yakima County Sheriff's deputies arrived, some thought the woman might be dead, according to court documents. She was unresponsive and taken MultiCare Yakima Memorial Hospital and later airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She recovered and spoke in court Tuesday.

鈥淒omestic violence thrives in silence. Holding offenders accountable helps to break that silence," said Peter Serrano, First Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Washington. "The violence inflicted here is truly unconscionable, thankfully the victim survived this horrific beating. Our office will continue to prioritize crimes of violence along with our federal, state and tribal partners.鈥�

Three other assault charges were dismissed.

Chief U.S. District Judge Stanley Bastian sentenced Visaya to the highest end of the recommended sentencing range of 37 to 46 months. Federal prosecutors sought a sentence of 46 months and Visaya's attorney, Craig Webster, sought a 24-month sentence.聽

Visaya will be on three years of supervised release after prison.

The case was in federal court because Visaya and the woman are Native American and the assaults took place on the Yakama Reservation.