Richard Cecil Smith, 41, was convicted on Tuesday, Feb. 8 in the Cherokee Tribal Court for Violation of a Domestic Violence Protection Order. He was sentenced to one year imprisonment by the Honorable J. Matthew Martin. The sentence was the maximum penalty available to the Court under current law for that offense.
“I want to thank the Cherokee Indian Police Department and Detective Jason Cable for his hard work in the investigation of this case which helped make this conviction possible,” said Tribal Prosecutor Jason Smith. “I would also like to thank our Victim/Witness Assistant, Lori Taylor, for her work with the victim in this case.”
J. Smith continued, “I think that this sentence makes it clear that Orders from the Cherokee Court are serious matters and that violations of these Orders, particularly in cases involving domestic violence, will not be taken lightly, either by the Office of the Tribal Prosecutor or the Court.”
R. Smith had a record of prior convictions for domestic violence in Tribal Court.
– Office of the Tribal Prosecutor
