Jerry Lee Lossiah Jr., 35, was convicted on Oct. 29 in the Cherokee Court for two counts of Violating a Domestic Violence Protective Order and for a Probation Violation from a Domestic Violence Assault conviction and was sentenced to two years imprisonment. The sentence, issued by the Honorable Danny E. Davis, Cherokee Court Judge, was yet another multi-year sentence issued by the Cherokee Court following the implementation of the Tribal Law and Order Act which authorized criminal sentences of greater than one year in tribal courts.
Tribal Prosecutor Jason Smith stated, “I want to thank Assistant Tribal Prosecutor Justin Eason, Cherokee Probation Officer John Nations, Cherokee Police Detective Jason Cable, Cherokee Police Officers Bryan Scott Chekelelee and John Taylor, and Domestic Violence Advocate Iva Key for their hard work and dedication to this case and to fighting domestic violence which made this outcome a possibility. It is critical in this system that Domestic Violence Protective Orders be followed and enforced. This case proves that the Cherokee Court takes violations of these orders very seriously and will punish such violations accordingly.”
Smith added, “To further strengthen the system in cases of Domestic Violence, Cherokee is working hard to implement the provisions of the reauthorized Federal Violence Against Women Act of 2013 (“VAWA 13”) which authorizes the prosecution of cases involving non-native perpetrators of domestic violence. Once Cherokee laws are amended to comply with VAWA 13 requirements, these non-native perpetrators will also be subject to punishment in the Cherokee Court for the commission of domestic violence crimes against enrolled members on EBCI lands. The sole remaining issue to be resolved is the jury selection process, and the Committee that is working on the necessary changes to the system expects to have that issue resolved and have draft legislation submitted to Tribal Council for consideration this winter.”
– Office of the Tribal Prosecutor
