PIERRE DALE YOUPEE SENTENCED IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT

Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on August 28, 2006, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, PIERRE DALE YOUPEE, a 20-year-old resident of Poplar, appeared for sentencing. YOUPEE was sentenced to a term of:

* ? Prison: 37 months
* ? Special Assessment: $100
* ? Supervised Release: 5 years

YOUPEE was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to abusive sexual contact.

In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On January 26, 2005, a 7-year-old girl was interviewed by a social worker in Poplar. The interview was prompted by the girl's recent absence from school and the observable remnants of a bruise on her face. During the interview, the young girl disclosed that she had been touched on a private area by YOUPEE.

Shortly after the young girl's interview, YOUPEE was questioned by a Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigator. YOUPEE denied, on two occasions, having touched the young girl on a private area of her body.

On August 2, 2005, YOUPEE submitted to a polygraph examination. After the polygraph examination, YOUPEE admitted that he had sexual contact with the young girl. YOUPEE stated that the incident occurred at his mother's house.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that YOUPEE will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, YOUPEE does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna S. Peckham prosecuted the case for the United States.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Peck Criminal Investigation Division.