Lodge Grass man sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing child on Crow Indian Reservation

BILLINGS — A Lodge Grass man who admitted to sexually abusing a child on the Crow Indian Reservation was sentenced on Dec. 18 to 20 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

The defendant, Marty Edward Plenty Hawk, 30, pleaded guilty in August to aggravated sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact of a child as charged in an indictment.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

“Plenty Hawk manipulated and subjected the victim, a child, to years of sexual abuse. I am relieved he will serve extensive time in federal prison because his repeated conduct toward this child was unconscionable. Our office and law enforcement partners have no greater responsibility than to protect kids by holding dangerous people accountable. This prosecution shows we won’t hesitate to honor that responsibility, which we will continue to do in the future,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

In court documents, the government alleged that between 2021 and May 2023 near Lodge Grass, on the Crow Indian Reservation, Plenty Hawk forced the victim, identified as Jane Doe 1, who was under the age of 12, to engage in a sexual act and in sexual conduct. On May 2, 2023, law enforcement arrested Plenty Hawk after a domestic disturbance at his residence. While in custody, Plenty Hawk wrote a confession that he had been carrying on a sexual relationship with Jane Doe 1. A sexual assault examination of Jane Doe 1 noted injuries consistent with child sexual abuse. In an interview with law enforcement, Plenty Hawk again admitted to having a sexual relationship with Jane Doe 1, including sexual intercourse multiple times.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and BIA conducted the investigation.

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