Nespelem Man Receives 4-Year Sentence for Assaulting Partner

A Nespelem man received four years in prison for assaulting his partner with a weapon on the Colville Reservation.

U.S. Attorney's Office - Eastern District of Washington said a federal judge handed down the sentence to 35-year-old Jered Shay Picard after he pled guilty to the charge and an additional charge of Attempted Witness Tampering.

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“Mr. Picard’s actions were both life-threatening and deeply disturbing,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Richard R. Barker. “He used a firearm to terrorize his intimate partner and then attempted to manipulate her into obstructing justice. This sentence reflects the grave danger posed by armed domestic abusers—not only to their current victims, but to future partners and to the integrity of the justice system itself.”

Court documents show Picard and his intimate partner fought Dec. 13, 2024. The victim tried to get away from Picard and locked herself inside a pickup truck. Picard responded by pointing a rifle at her face before firing a shot in the sky. She tried to start the vehicle, but Picard shot out the front driver side tire, so she could not leave.

During several jail telephone calls with the victim, Picard told her to tell investigators she did not want to press charges, avoid meeting with the FBI, delete the video of the incident, and tell investigators they were both drunk during the incident.

Data shows offenders with a history of domestic violence pose a high risk of homicide. The attorney's office said abusers with a gun in the home are five times more likely to kill their partners.

Picard also faces three years of supervised release.