A man from Onamia, Minnesota, has been slammed with a hefty 24-year prison sentence for the illegal possession of a firearm, as he faced the long arm of the law after a domestic assault incident turned into a gun-toting standoff, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced yesterday.
Justin Lyle Cutbank, 37, found himself at the center of a police manhunt on November 19, 2020, when Leech Lake Tribal Police responded to a domestic disturbance call involving a physical assault on a woman, after which he allegedly threatened her life with a firearm and vanished into the surrounding woods it was a tense series of events that eventually culminated in his arrest. According to court documents, Cutbank barricaded himself in a neighbor's garage and engaged law enforcement in a several hours-long negotiation, retreating to an attic space and refusing to come out before being taken into custody while resisting arrest, the events unfolded into a dangerous confrontation requiring a significant police response.
Led by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis, the federal jury handed down their verdict on March 17, 2023, finding Cutbank guilty on the charge of possession of a firearm by a felon, a serious offense given his multiple prior convictions that bar him from possessing firearms or ammunition. announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger.
The extensive investigation following Cutbank's disappearance into the woods resulted in the discovery of a serial number-lacking .22 caliber rifle, alongside a knife and the assault victim's cell phone, according to a detailed report by the U.S. Attorney's Office. This case saw collaboration and efforts by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the tribal police, the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force, and the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, demonstrating the crucial partnership between local and federal agencies in tackling gun-related crimes which are an entrenched issue in communities across the board.
In a concerted prosecutorial effort, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley M. Endicott and Ruth S. Shnider brought the case to a close, further emphasizing the justice system's firm stance on felons unlawfully in possession of firearms. Following the conviction, Cutbank awaits the commencement of his sentence, along with a subsequent five years of supervised release, marking the conclusion of a case that has resonated throughout Northern Minnesota.
