A Towaoc man convicted of assault with a knife has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Alonzo Gary Summa, 36, was found guilty by a federal jury Nov. 12 of assault resulting in serious body and assault with a dangerous weapon, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Summa was sentenced by Senior District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn on Feb. 11 to serve 78 months in prison, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release. He was also sentenced to serve an additional 18 months in prison for violating his prior federal supervised release, which he was on at the time of this offense.
Summa’s defense attorney requested a 46-month sentence arguing it is more comparable with other sentences for a similar crime, according to the sentencing statement.
At trial, the government presented evidence that on Aug. 11, 2020, Summa cut his half-brother with a knife during an incident at a residence in Towoac on Green Cedar Street within the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation.
Prosecutors stated that around the time of the assault, Summa sent the victim a Facebook message that said, “I suggest u watch where u go from now And watch your back … I’m comeing after u.”
According to the federal arrest affidavit, on the morning of the incident, Summa’s half-brother had asked him to collect items being stored near his residence.
When Summa arrived that evening, he became aggressive and pushed the victim, who backed away. Summa then swung his right fist and cut the victim in the chest, according to the affidavit. Summa then drove away from the scene.
The victim was transported to Southwest Memorial Hospital with a knife wound that required 10 to 12 staples to close the wound and left a scar.
“Prosecuting violence inflicted toward family members always presents challenges, especially in a small community such as Towaoc,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “Our office remains committed to holding accountable violent offenders in Indian Country.”
The Bureau of Indian Affairs at the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation investigated this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys R. Josh Player and Jeffrey K. Graves handled the prosecution.
