Former police officer for Umatilla Tribes pleads guilty in case

Thursday, August 15, 2013  

A former police officer for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon pleaded guilty to one count of abusive sexual contact and one count of making false statements to the FBI.

Fermore Joseph Craig, Jr., 43, was not on duty at the time of the incident in May 11. He admitted that he intentionally touched the intimate parts of an adult female without the victim's permission.

"Sexual assault is always a heinous crime,” U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall said in a press release. “But when a tribal police officer, whose very duty is to protect the members of a tribal nation, commits such an act, the impact is especially egregious as it violates the trust and safety not only of the victim, but the entire tribal community.”

Craig resigned from his post during the investigation. He worked for the tribe for 15 years.

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Former Umatilla tribal police officer pleads guilty to unwanted sexual contact with woman, lying to FBI (The Oregonian 8/15)