Following a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted Owyhee resident R.C. Crutcher of witness tampering, an offense that could land him up to two decades behind bars. The allegations stem from a series of phone calls initiated by Crutcher from jail between March 11 and March 16, according to a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Nevada.
In these calls, Crutcher is accused of having instructed his mother to locate and influence a victim not to testify at his federal trial—actions that led to his recent conviction.
The investigation, spearheaded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, laid the groundwork for Assistant United States Attorneys Penelope Brady and Andrew Keenan to prosecute. Crutcher's sentencing, now looming on the horizon, is scheduled for February 24, 2026, with United States District Judge Anne R. Traum presiding.
The maximum sentence that Crutcher faces is 20 years—a significant portion of a life. The sentence will be determined, as per usual, by a federal district court judge who will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors. First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah underscored the conviction, emphasizing the justice served in this case.
