Informational: Federal Court Arraignment
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 01, 2009 |
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on August 27, 2009, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, the following individual was arraigned:
MARVIN JEROME FASTHORSE, a 45-year-old resident of Poplar, appeared on a charge of sexual abuse. He is currently detained. If convicted of this charge, FASTHORSE faces possible penalties of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebekah J. French is the prosecutor for the United States. The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The defendant pled not guilty to the charge.
The charge, an indictment, information or complaint, is merely an accusation and any person named as a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. A pre-trial conference and a trial date will be set and the United States will be required to prove the allegations set forth in the indictment beyond a reasonable doubt.