Jury finds Billings man guilty of child sexual abuse on the Crow Indian Reservation

BILLINGS – A Billings man who sexually assaulted a child on the Crow Indian Reservation was found guilty by a federal jury today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Following a 1.5-day trial, Matthew Paul Stopsatprettyplaces, 49, was found guilty of abusive sexual contact of a child. Stopsatprettyplaces faces up to life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for April 8, 2026. 

The government alleged in court documents and at trial that in 2019, Stopsatprettyplaces gave 9-year-old Jane Doe a ride to a family member’s residence in Hardin. While on the way, he took advantage of Jane Doe while she was asleep. He first put his hands on Jane Doe’s thighs which woke Jane Doe up. But Stopsatprettyplaces continued the assault by putting his hand on her inner thighs and then under Jane Doe’s shirt and fondling her bare breasts. On a subsequent occasion at Jane Doe’s house in Hardin, Stopsatprettyplaces assaulted 10-year-old Jane Doe again by kissing her all over and fondling her over her clothes.

Jane Doe disclosed the sexual abuse a few years later to a therapist, who mandatorily reported to the child abuse hotline, which triggered an immediate investigation by the FBI. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelsey Hendricks and Paul Vestal prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI.

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