A Fort Washakie man accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from a tribal health clinic now also is facing a felony assault charge in Jackson, Wyoming, according to court documents.
Logan James Savage, 43, is accused of shattering the teeth of a man who tried to kiss him outside a bar in Jackson. The charge is in addition to two federal cases against him, one accusing him of assaulting a man on the Wind River Indian Reservation and another of embezzling more than $26,000 from Wind River Family and Community Health Care while he worked there.
He’s set for a Jan. 8 trial in Teton County District Court on the Jackson assault charge, which is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
He pleaded not guilty Aug. 29.
Summer Night Outside The Bar
Savage and the other man were talking outside the Rose in Jackson at about 2 a.m. Aug. 10, says an evidentiary affidavit filed later that morning in Jackson Circuit Court.
An eyewitness told police that Savage punched the other man in the face, dropping him to the ground. Savage waited about four seconds, then kicked the man in the face as he lay on the ground, the affidavit alleges.
The witness told police that Savage claimed he attacked the other man because the man had tried to kiss him.
Savage then reportedly got into a black SUV and headed north.
Jackson Police Department Cpl. Jason Figueroa spoke to the victim. The man’s mouth and nose were bleeding, and a few of his upper teeth were partially shattered, the affidavit says.
The victim reportedly said he was standing at the boardwalk by the curb when he was attacked, but “could not figure out why.”
Teeth In The Blood
The boardwalk had blood spatter on it, and when Figueroa looked closer, he saw pieces of teeth within the blood.
Another witness told Figueroa he looked over in time to see the victim on the ground and the suspect kick the victim in the face, hop into a vehicle and ride away.
This witness shot a 34-second video of the vehicle fleeing – with multiple people inside it. In the front passenger side sat a Native man in his 30s or 40s, wearing a black T-shirt, grey pants and white shoes, the affidavit says.
The witness also showed Figueroa a photo of the license plate. The tag number came back to a 2018 black Volkswagen Atlas, registered to Logan Savage of Fort Washakie.
When Figueroa showed the video to the first witness, the first witness pointed out the man in the front passenger seat as the attacker. Figueroa put out an alert for law enforcement agents to keep an eye out for the vehicle.
Highway Arrest
By about a.m., Teton County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Caleb Johnson spotted the Volkswagen Atlas near a highway pull out and initiated a traffic stop.
By now there was only one person in the vehicle, Logan Savage, says the affidavit.
Figueroa and another Jackson Police officer met with the deputy and identified Savage as the assault suspect from his clothing and their recent lookup of his driver’s license, the document says.
Agents arrested Savage. The affidavit says he refused to speak to law enforcement.
Pleaded Guilty To Something
Savage was indicted in federal court in March on suspicion of assaulting another man with a dangerous weapon on the Wind River Indian Reservation. He was soon released on bond.
In that case, Savage pleaded guilty Wednesday, pursuant to a plea agreement that has not been made public. Savage could have pleaded guilty to the original charge or to a variation of it.
He’s set to be sentenced Jan. 23.
Embezzling Trial
Meanwhile, in his federal embezzling case, Savage is set for a Nov. 27 jury trial.
The indictment lists six criminal counts against Savage: five accusing him of unlawful wire transfers and a sixth accusing him of embezzling from an Indian organization.
The charges claim that while he was finance director at Wind River Family and Community Health Care, Savage:
- Used the company credit card to buy $4,491 in furniture and goods from Denver Mattress Co. in Casper.
- Spent $3,203.95 on the card at Kusel’s Furniture and Appliances in Riverton.
- Used the card to buy $4,433.07 worth of firearms and other goods at Murdoch’s Ranch and Home Supply in Riverton.
- Spent $7,514.72 on furniture and other goods from Sutherlands in Riverton using the company card.
- Spent $6,848.25 on groceries and other goods from Walmart stores in Riverton, Casper and Lakewood, Colorado.
- Embezzled from an Indian tribal organization.
The five counts of wire fraud each carry a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. The charge of embezzling from an Indian organization carries a penalty of up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines.
If convicted on all counts and given consecutive sentences, Savage could face up to 105 years in prison and $1.25 million in fines in that case. The prosecution is ongoing.
Clair McFarland can be reached at clair@cowboystatedaily.com.
