Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls on July 29, 2009, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, BERNARD NOEL YOUPEE, a 43-year-old resident of Brockton, pled guilty to aggravated sexual abuse. Sentencing is set for November 2, 2009. He is currently detained.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

In March of 2009, the FBI received information that in approximately 2002 or 2003, the victim, now age 16, had been sexually abused by YOUPEE when she was nine or ten years old. The victim reported that she had fallen asleep in the living room of the family residence in Brockton when YOUPEE laid down beside her and started touching her vaginal area underneath her underwear. She reported that on another occasion, YOUPEE put her up so she was sitting on the dryer, pulled down his pants and underwear and asked her to look at his penis. The victim refused and he did not touch her again.

The victim reported that she had recently been in a presentation at her school on dating violence and she began thinking again about what YOUPEE had done. It began to bother her and she wrote him a note saying that she had thought about it and it bothered her. YOUPEE texted the victim on her cell phone telling her not to tell anyone as he would get in trouble. The victim was concerned that he might do something to her little sister.

When questioned, YOUPEE admitted the sexual abuse, admitting that he had "touched her one time between her legs," and that the victim had said she did not like it so he stopped. He also admitted that he sent the text messages to her and said that he told her if she did not tell anyone, he would buy her a car.

Both the victim and YOUPEE are Indian persons and the events occurred within the exterior boundaries of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

YOUPEE faces possible penalties of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and 5 years supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.

 

 

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