Poplar, Montana – A 35-year-old Poplar man, identified as Lawrence George Fast Horse, has been sentenced to 23 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for stabbing a woman on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announced.
Violent Assault and Knife Found at the Scene
Fast Horse had pleaded guilty in September 2025 to one count of domestic assault by a habitual offender, a charge supported by multiple prior convictions. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris handed down the sentence.
According to court documents, the incident took place on August 2, 2024, in Poplar, when Fast Horse stabbed a woman identified in legal filings as Jane Doe. Officers responding to the scene found Jane Doe with a stab wound on her upper back. A search of Fast Horse at the time of the arrest revealed a knife with brass knuckles attached in the right-side pocket of his shorts.
A witness to the incident told investigators that Fast Horse and Jane Doe had been arguing. She reported seeing him push Jane Doe from behind, and shortly afterward, she noticed him attempting to hide a blade behind his back.
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Jane Doe was treated for three stab wounds and was hospitalized overnight for observation.
A Pattern of Domestic Violence
Fast Horse has a long history of domestic violence, with previous convictions on June 20, 2008, May 23, 2009, January 27, 2013, October 21, 2019, and October 26, 2020. This history contributed to the habitual offender charge in the latest case.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Fast Horse will now serve his sentence in federal custody before beginning three years of supervised release as part of the court’s judgment.
