Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls on June 5, 2008, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, STUART RICHARD BROWN, a 19-year-old resident of Browning, pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Sentencing is set for September 15, 2008.

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

On July 19, 2007, BROWN and three juveniles got into an argument with M.W. After the argument, M.W. threw a beer bottle through the back window (which was missing) of the car that BROWN and the juveniles were riding in. The bottle hit one of the juveniles in the head, and then burst into pieces on the dashboard. BROWN grabbed a metal baseball bat from the car and proceeded to beat M.W. in the back and legs approximately 6-12 times.

The juvenile driver and one juvenile passenger also punched and kicked M.W.

M.W. remained conscious and went to a friend's house and then to the hospital. M.W. was given pain medication and sent home.

On July 23, 2007, M.W. again went to the hospital with complaints of severe leg pain and illness. M.W. was diagnosed with Rhabdomylosis and transported to the Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Doctors removed the severely injured leg.

Necrotizing Fascitis and Sepsis, complications resulting directly from the wounds sustained during the assault.

BROWN faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and 3 years supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Carroll prosecuted the case for the United States.