A Wapato man is headed to federal prison for 40 months after he drove past a home last March and opened fire on the occupied house. Neighbors' security cameras recorded the drive-by, and prosecutors say the rounds missed the people inside, so no one was hurt. The sentence also includes three years of supervised release and a court-ordered mental health evaluation.
Federal Prosecutors Lay Out the Case
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington, 26-year-old Caludgrio Joseph Bianco pleaded guilty on Nov. 18 to a drive-by shooting charge under the Assimilative Crimes Act and to possession of a stolen firearm. Chief U.S. District Judge Stanley A. Bastian sentenced Bianco to 40 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Prosecutors said the gun used in the attack was recovered the same day, and an indictment was returned on May 13, 2025. The release notes that the shooting was captured on neighbors' security cameras and that the incident appeared to be random, with Bianco not knowing the homeowners. As part of the sentence, the court ordered Bianco to undergo a mental health evaluation and to follow any treatment that is recommended.
FBI and Tribal Partners Worked the Investigation
W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of FBI Seattle, called the shooting "reckless and senseless" and said it was "incredibly fortunate no one was injured," in a post by FBI Seattle. Prosecutors said the FBI investigated the case with help from the Yakama Nation Police Department and the Wapato Police Department, and that Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Murphy handled the prosecution.
Why This Was Handled in Federal Court
The drive-by shooting charge was brought under the Assimilative Crimes Act, a federal law that lets prosecutors use state criminal statutes to cover offenses on federal land and in Indian country. The act is codified at 18 U.S.C. § 13, according to the Legal Information Institute. That structure allowed federal prosecutors to take the case rather than leaving it solely to tribal or state courts.
Officials and tribal partners said the outcome removes a dangerous person from the community and underscores the cooperation among agencies on violent crime cases that occur on tribal lands. Court filings and the U.S. Attorney's release state that sentencing is complete and that Bianco will serve his federal term under standard Bureau of Prisons procedures.
