Release from Office of the EBCI Tribal Prosecutor
ASHEVILLE – Joseph Dwayne Jumper, of Robbinsville, pleaded guilty on Friday, Jan. 3 in Federal Court in Asheville to two counts of Abusive Sexual Contact before the Honorable Carlton Metcalf. The maximum punishment for such an offense is imprisonment for life.
Lead Tribal Prosecutor and Special Assistant United States Attorney Justin Eason said, “In this case, the defendant was alleged to have had inappropriate sexual contact with a minor child. This conviction was only possible thanks to the coordination and cooperation from several key agencies, including the FBI, the CIPD (Cherokee Indian Police Dept.), and the Family Safety Program. Each of these entities demonstrated great diligence and dedication in their quest to obtain justice on behalf of the victim and the Tribe (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) as a whole.”
He added, “The Federal Courts provide an unparalleled forum for the administration of justice, and it is the obligation of the Prosecutor’s Office to combat such offenses with every tool available to us in order to protect the Tribe and its members. The thorough investigation by both Family Safety and law enforcement provided everything necessary to secure justice for our victim and our Tribe.”
Sentencing for the defendant shall be set at a date to be determined.
