GREAT FALLS — Drew Dion Gallineaux of Browning, who admitted to strangling his dating partner on two occasions on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, was sentenced in federal court in Great Falls on April 29.
Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said in a news release that on December 22, 2019, Gallineaux and the victim were drinking and got into an argument. Gallineaux had been making eggs and had slapped her, then grabbed the frying pan and hit her in the back of the head twice. Gallineaux then threw her on the bed and got on top of her, hitting her in the face. He was straddling her and placed both hands around her neck; while strangling her he told her to “die bitch, you’re gonna die. If I can’t have you nobody can.”
She reported that she did not lose consciousness during this strangulation assault but complained of dizziness and described that during the assault it felt like she was having a seizure. She escaped by jumping out of a window and running to a neighbor’s house.
Law enforcement officers found a frying pan on the floor with blood observed on the floor and on the bed where the assault occurred. The woman sustained two lacerations to
her head that were bleeding profusely.
The government further alleged that on July 8, 2019, Gallineaux assaulted and strangled the victim while in a vehicle. The woman stated that she was with Gallineaux, and that he had been assaulting her in the car. She said she had to jump out of the car to escape the assault. She was taken to a hospital by ambulance. At the hospital she reported that Gallineaux had beaten her with his fists and kicked her in the face. She reported that he had strangled her to the point that she lost consciousness twice.
Gallineaux, 27 years old, pleaded guilty on January 13 to two counts of strangulation of a dating partner.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian Morris presided, and sentenced Gallineaxu to 40 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney and Blackfeet Tribal Prosecutor Josh Lamson prosecuted the case.
