Bowling Green Man Sentenced to Over 3 Years in Federal Prison for Domestic Violence Offense at Mammoth Cave National Park

Bowling Green, KY - A Bowling Green man was sentenced today to over 3 years in federal prison for committing a domestic assault in Mammoth Cave National Park.

U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Scott L. Larson, Regional Chief Ranger of the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers made the announcement.

"I commend the effort of the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers for their outstanding work in this case," stated U.S. Attorney Bennett. "Working in partnership with the rangers, we will continue to aggressively enforce violations of the law on federal lands located throughout the Western District."

According to court documents, Rakan F. Elsalem, 40, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing a domestic assault as a habitual offender on May 1, 2023, within the Mammoth Cave National Park, a place within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States.

At the time Elsalem committed the domestic assault, he had two prior convictions for offenses that would have been, if subject to federal jurisdiction, an assault against a spouse or intimate partner. These included convictions of assault in the fourth degree on September 22, 2020, and on January 24, 2022, in Warren District Court.

There is no parole in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers.

Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Nicholas Rabold, of the U.S. Attorney's Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.

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