The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 65-year sentence for a member of the Saginaw Chippewa Tribe of Michigan who was convicted of domestic violence.

Samuel John Pego was given the lengthy sentence for beating his girlfriend on the reservation in July 2012. He was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to commit bodily harm, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, two counts of witness tampering and domestic assault by a habitual offender.

Pego did not object to the sentencing report. But he raised a series of claims on appeal, all of which were rejected by the 6th Circuit.

The case is the second time in the last two months that the 6th Circuit has considered appeals from domestic violence offenders from the Saginaw Chippewa Reservation. In April, the court said Waylon Pego was rightfully convicted of multiple crimes against his then-girlfriends.

Get the Story:
Federal appeals court upholds 65-year sentence (The Mt. Pleasant Morning Sun 5/29)

6th Circuit Decisions:
US v. Samuel John Pego (May 28, 2014)
US V. Waylon Pego (April 18, 2014)

Related Stories:
Saginaw Chippewa man convicted of assaulting three women (11/16)