A Lame Deer pastor faces life in prison is found guilty of sexual abuse/force

[Blunderbuss Firozabad]

"BILLINGS — A Lame Deer pastor appeared on a summons for arraignment today on sexual abuse charges alleged to have occurred on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said."

" Dean Alan Smith, 66, a pastor, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of abusive sexual contact and three counts of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child. If convicted of the most serious crime, Smith faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and not less than five years of supervised release."

"An indictment, filed on Dec. 9, alleges that between 2017 and 2019 near Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, Smith knowingly caused a person, identified as Jane Doe 1, to engage in a sexual act by using force and that Smith knowing caused Jane Doe 1 to engage in sexual contact by using force. The indictment further alleges that between 2017 and 2019, Smith knowingly caused a person, identified as Jane Doe 2, who had not attained the age of 12, to engage in sexual contact by force. In addition, the indictment alleges that between 2019 and 2020, Smith knowingly caused persons, identified as Jane Doe 3 and Jane Doe 4, both who had not attained the age of 12, to engage in sexual contact by force. "

"Smith served as a pastor at Morning Star Baptist Church in Lame Deer for more than 20 years. "

"The Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council has excluded a Lame Deer pastor accused of sexual abuse from the reservation in an ordinance passed on Tuesday.

The council wrote that Smith’s exclusion was done “to keep our community safe, as the well-being of our tribal members is our top priority.”"

"The council added that exclusion from the reservation is “a rare occurrence.""

Northern Cheyenne Council bans pastor accused of sex abuse from reservation

The council wrote that the decision was made “to keep our community safe, as the well-being of our tribal members is our top priority.”

missoulian.com

Lame Deer pastor arraigned on sexual abuse charges

www.justice.gov

 

[Sugar Cookie]

A former Lame Deer pastor, who was convicted in a jury trial of sexually abusing children on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

A federal jury on Dec. 11, 2023 found the defendant, Dean Alan Smith, 67, guilty of aggravated sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact by force and two counts of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child. The jury acquitted Smith of one count of abusive sexual contact of a child.

“Pastor Smith’s prison sentence, while significant, does not come close to the lifetime of trauma his victims will have to endure. But I hope knowing that Smith will likely spend the rest of his life in federal prison gives them some peace of mind that he won’t be able to abuse others. Far too often, and unacceptably so, we are unable to obtain justice for children sexually abused in Indian Country. But justice was achieved here, and it would not have occurred without the bravery of our victims or the tenacity of our federal partners and prosecutors, for which I am grateful,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said.

The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Smith was the pastor of a local church in Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, and that during his time on the reservation, he and his wife housed several foster children and temporarily hosted other children from the community. In approximately 2021 and 2022, four girls, identified as Jane Does 1, 2, 3 and 4, disclosed being sexually abused by Smith between 2017 and 2020 when they were staying or living at Smith’s home. The government alleged that Smith abused each of them, separately and in private, on multiple occasions. All of the victims were under the age of 12 at the time.

Former Lame Deer pastor sentenced to 30 years in prison for sexually abusing children on Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation

www.justice.gov