Anthony James Corcoran Sentenced in U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on April 12, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, ANTHONY JAMES CORCORAN, a 28-year-old resident of Rocky Boy, appeared for sentencing. CORCORAN was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 20 months
• Special Assessment: $100
• Supervised Release: five years

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

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebekah J. French, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

During the early morning hours of July 22, 2009, CORCORAN, an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe, entered a house in the Prairie View Housing Area of the Rocky Boy's Reservation. CORCORAN walked into the bedroom where S.S.M. was sleeping. S.S.M. had consumed a number of alcoholic beverages the evening before. When CORCORAN pulled down S.S.M.'s pants and underwear, she rolled over on her stomach. He spread her thighs apart and pulled down his own pants and underwear, exposing his genitals.

S.S.M.’s son, who was twelve at the time of the incident, would have testified that he was sleeping in his bedroom in the house where the incident occurred. He woke up in the early morning hours and went to check on his mother. The young man saw a man in his mother's bed, taking her clothes off. He went to a trailer parked outside the house, where his aunt was sleeping and woke her up. S.S.M.’s sister then went into the house and found CORCORAN lying on top of S.S.M. His pants and underwear were pulled to his knees and his genital area was touching S.S.M.’s buttocks. S.S.M.’s pants and panties were pulled to her knees and she appeared to be sleeping. S.S.M.’s sister slapped CORCORAN on his bare buttocks and asked him what he was doing. CORCORAN then pulled his pants up and ran from the room.

On the afternoon of July 22, 2009, CORCORAN was interviewed and admitted that his genitals touched S.S.M.'s buttock while she was asleep. He also admitted touching her inner thighs with his hands and spreading her legs apart in preparation for sexual intercourse. According to CORCORAN, he stopped when S.S.M. woke up and asked him to wait.

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

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.