Ashley Thompson, age 38, from Tama, Iowa, was sentenced on April 14 to more than five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to assault causing serious bodily injury.
Thompson admitted that she assaulted a woman on January 14, 2024, at the Meskwaki Settlement near Tama. During an argument inside another person’s home, Thompson picked up a loose piece of wooden wall trim and thrust it at the victim. The wood struck the victim’s neck and a fragment broke off inside.
Law enforcement responded to the scene where they found the victim struggling to breathe and losing consciousness. The victim was transported first to Marshalltown and then Des Moines for surgery. Doctors found that the piece of wood was lodged against her jugular vein but had not pierced it.
Court records show Thompson has four previous assault convictions in state court as well as multiple convictions for child endangerment, operating a vehicle while intoxicated, disorderly conduct, and theft. While detained in Polk County jail following her arrest in February 2024, she also assaulted another inmate by throwing hot water at her.
United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams sentenced Thompson in Cedar Rapids to 63 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole available in the federal system. She will remain in United States Marshal’s custody until she is transferred to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by Meskwaki Nation Police Department.
