Fort Hall woman pleads guilty to assault of 72-year-old in wheelchair

The following is a news release Idaho U.S. Attorney General’s Office.

POCATELLO – Fort Hall native Tanisha Phelps, 19, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court to assault with a dangerous weapon, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Phelps was indicted by the federal grand jury in Pocatello on January 27, 2015.

According to the plea agreement, on December 14, 2014, Fort Hall Police were called to a residence on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation regarding a possible stabbing. Officers arrived and found that the defendant had cut the victim, a 72 year old female in a wheelchair, on her forearm with a knife. The victim told police that the defendant was mad because her music had been turned off. The victim told the defendant to go outside and “cool off.” The defendant punched the victim in the forehead with her fist and the defendant grabbed two kitchen knives. The defendant then cut the victim’s forearm with the knife and caused it to bleed. The defendant was interviewed by police and admitted cutting the victim with the knife.

The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

Phelps is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23, 2016, before Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill at the federal courthouse in Pocatello.

The case was investigated by the Fort Hall Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.