Amanda Rose Olson Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls on June 15, 2009, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, AMANDA ROSE OLSON, a 23-year-old resident of Poplar, pled guilty to assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a child under the age of 16. Sentencing is set for October 5, 2009. She is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On January 5, 2009, a Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigator informed the FBI that four-year-old "H" was the victim of child abuse by her mother, OLSON.
On February 21, 2007, BIA Social Services received a referral that "H" had been physically abused. Social Services representatives went to the residence in Poplar to examine her. "H" had multiple red marks and bruises on her arms, shoulders and back. When asked who had hit her, "H" said it was her mother. "H" was examined at the Fort Peck Health Center Outpatient Clinic. She had 13 marks varying in length from 1 to 6 inches in length and reported that her mother had hit her with a hanger.
When interviewed, OLSON admitted that she was mad at someone else in the home and grabbed a hanger to hit that person. OLSON claimed that "H" jumped around in front of her, further making OLSON mad, so she hit her with the hanger. OLSON reported that she knew she would be in trouble if she hit the other person, but didn't think she would get in trouble if she hit "H". There were two witnesses in the residence who saw OLSON hit "H" numerous times with the hanger, causing substantial bodily injury to her. Medical personnel opined that "H" suffered substantial bodily injury from OLSON'S assault.
OLSON faces possible penalties of 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
