Federal Jury Convicts Saginaw Man Of Assaulting And Strangling Woman On The Isabella Indian Reservation

BAY CITY - A Saginaw man was convicted by a federal jury in Detroit on Friday for a 2018 assault and strangulation of his then girlfriend on the Isabella Indian Reservation, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.

Ison was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Cheyvoryea Gibson of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Detroit Field Office.

Michael Lee Johnson, 45, was found guilty of several counts arising out of the assault and strangulation of the victim in this case, including unlawful imprisonment, assault of a dating partner by strangulation, assault of a dating partner by suffocation, domestic violence, and numerous instances of witness tampering.

The evidence at trial established that in October and November of 2018, Johnson held the victim against her will, threatened to kill her, and assaulted her numerous times by strangulation, suffocation, and other means, sometimes in front of her children. The evidence also established that after the police arrested Johnson for these crimes, he attempted to improperly influence or prevent the victim from reporting the incident to the police and testifying in court. According to testimony at trial, Johnson contacted the victim over 100 times following his arrest. The crimes occurred on the Isabella Indian Reservation in Mt. Pleasant, the primary land base of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe.

"Johnson's conduct against this victim was egregious enough in and of itself, but was compounded by the fact that he committed these violent acts in front of innocent children," stated U.S. Attorney Ison. "We will continue to hold accountable those who persist in perpetrating epidemic levels of violence on America Indian women."

Johnson's sentencing is scheduled for February 5, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. before United States District Judge Lin Parker.

The case was investigated by the Saginaw Chippewa Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Roy Kranz and Assistant United States Attorney Tim Turkelson.