A Browning man has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison for burning a woman with a hot knife on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Dale Ray Racine, 32, admitted guilt in September 2024 to assault with a dangerous weapon. Following his prison term, Racine will be subject to three years of supervised release, as announced by U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
The incident occurred on February 14, 2024, when Racine was drinking at a residence in Browning. According to court documents, he heated a knife in a wood stove until it was red hot and then used it to burn the victim, identified as Jane Doe. Doe reported that Racine attempted to brand her neck and she raised her hand to protect herself, resulting in second-degree burns.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case. The assault took place just one month after Racine's release from federal prison for a previous assault committed in 2021 involving a metal pipe.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and investigated by the Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and FBI, with support from the U.S. Marshals Service.