Opinion ID: 457137
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Occurrence of the Violations Within Indian Country

Text: 36 The Lacey Act makes clear that with regard to fish obtained in violation of tribal law, only those tribal law offenses occurring within Indian country are subsumed under 16 U.S.C. Sec. 3372. See 16 U.S.C. Sec. 3371(c). Defendants argue that the government failed to prove that the tribal law violations occurred in Indian country. We reject that contention. 37 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1151 defines Indian country to include, in relevant part, (a) all land within the limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the United States Government. The defendants effectively concede that the violations occurred in Cooks Landing, Washington or in Celilo, Oregon, but they claim that these locations are not within Indian reservations. 38 The trial judge, apparently satisfied that those two sites were Indian country, 6 instructed the jury that they need only find that the violations occurred in Cooks Landing or Celilo. Because the defendants did not object to this instruction at trial, this court will only review the defendants' contention if there was plain error. 7 United States v. Wilson, 690 F.2d 1267, 1274 (9th Cir.1982), cert. denied, --- U.S. ----, 104 S.Ct. 205, 78 L.Ed.2d 178 (1983). 39 The term Indian reservation is not defined by statute. However, the Supreme Court in United States v. John, 437 U.S. 634, 649, 98 S.Ct. 2541, 2549, 57 L.Ed.2d 489 (1978), suggested that land declared by Congress to be held in trust by the Federal Government for the benefit of the ... Indians ... [is a] 'reservation,' at least for the purposes of federal criminal jurisdiction [under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1153]. Similarly, the Supreme Court in United States v. Pelican, 232 U.S. 442, 449, 34 S.Ct. 396, 399, 58 L.Ed. 676 (1914), stated the principal test as whether the land had been validly set apart for the use of the Indians as such, under the superintendence of the Government. Accord Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes v. State of Oklahoma, 618 F.2d 665, 667-68 (10th Cir.1980) (holding that lands held in trust by the United States for the Tribes are Indian country within the meaning of Sec. 1151(a) ). 40 The government introduced at trial certified title documents from the Bureau of Indian Affairs indicating that titles to Celilo and Cooks Landing are held by the United States government for the benefit of the Columbia River treaty tribes, pursuant to specified acts of Congress. For example, one tract of Celilo was purchased by the United States government in trust ... for the use of the Yakima Indian Tribes ... the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, and other Columbia River Indians affiliated with the aforementioned tribes and entitled to enjoy fishing rights ... at or in the vicinity of Celilo Falls. 61 Stat. 466 (1947) (emphasis added). The other Celilo tract was transferred from the Secretary of War to the Secretary of Interior for the use and benefit of certain Indians now using and occupying the land as a fishing camp site. 45 Stat. 1158 (1929) (emphasis added). 41 The Cooks Landing site was acquired by the Secretary of War to replace Indian fishing grounds submerged or destroyed as a result of the construction of Bonneville Dam and transferred to the Secretary of Interior for the use and benefit of the Indians. 59 Stat. 22 (1945) (emphasis added). Cooks Landing is subject to federal government regulation under 25 C.F.R. Part 248. It is evident, therefore, that the Celilo and Cooks Landing sites amount to reservation land under the tests laid out in John and Pelican. 42 In United States v. McGowan, 302 U.S. 535, 58 S.Ct. 286, 82 L.Ed. 410 (1938), the Supreme Court found Reno Colony to be Indian country. 43 The Reno Colony has been validly set apart for the use of the Indians. It is under the superintendence of the Government. The Government retains title to the lands which it permits the Indians to occupy. The Government has authority to enact regulations and protective laws respecting this territory.... 44 [I]t is not reasonably possible to draw any distinction between this Indian colony and Indian country. 45 302 U.S. at 539, 58 S.Ct. at 288. As discussed above, Celilo and Cooks Landing are similarly owned by the United States and held for the benefit and use of the various Columbia River treaty tribes. In sum, the government adequately demonstrated that Celilo and Cooks Landing are within Indian country. There was no error, let alone plain error, in the jury instruction.