Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Police Lauded In Child Rape Case

Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

MAYETTA, KANSAS – The Potawatomi Tribal Police Department received high praise from Barry Grissom, the US Attorney in Kansas, and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Council for thoroughly investigating and cooperating with other law enforcement agencies that contributed to a plea of no contest from a man in a child rape case.

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Police

Trent Robinson, 51, pleaded no contest in Jackson County District Court to a charge of raping a child under 14 years of age that occurred on the reservation. In his plea, Robinson admitted that he had sexual intercourse with a minor child on the reservation.

A judge found Robinson guilty and has set sentencing for June 27.

“The Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Tribal Council is pleased with the swift and professional job with which the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Police Department conducted the investigation in this case,”

stated Tribal Chairman Steve Ortiz.

“The Tribal Council also appreciates the cooperative efforts of the Jackson County Attorney's Office, the US Attorney's Office and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Police Department. They worked collaboratively and speedily to bring the defendant to justice while continuing to make and keep the PBPN a safe community in which to work and live.”

Robinson is NOT a Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation tribal citizen or a member of any American Indian tribe, as was erroneously reported in the Topeka Capital-Journal on May 25. A retraction was issued by the newspaper the following day only after officials from the Tribal administration notified the Journal about the misinformation.

In return for Robinson's plea to the charge in state court, the US Attorney's Office agreed not to file federal charges against him. "Mr. Robinson was unwilling to enter a plea until he was assured in writing there would be no federal charges, "

said US Attorney Grissom.

The parties have agreed to recommend a "hard 25" sentence.

"After consulting with the Jackson Country Attorney's Office and tribal law enforcement, I agreed with them that justice would be served in this case by a sentence of 25 years without parole,"

Grissom said.

Shawna Miller, Jackson County Attorney, said; "The Prairie Band Potawatomi Police Department conducted a professional and thorough investigation into this matter. The cooperation between my office and the US Attorney's Office ensured that a child rapist has been taken off the streets for twenty five years, without any further trauma to the child in this case."

In his plea, Robinson admitted that he had sexual intercourse with a minor child on the reservation.

Grissom commended the Tribal Police Department, Jackson County Attorney Shawna Miller and Assistant US Attorney Alan Metzger for their work on the case.

posted May 30, 2012 6:00 am edt