ALABAMA MAN SENTENCED TO LIFE IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR ABUSIVE SEXUAL CONTACT WITH A CHILD

Fargo – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that Whitehorse Ducharme, a/k/a Stanley Ducharme, age 51, of Huntsville, Alabama, formerly residing in Belcourt, North Dakota, appeared before Chief Judge Peter D. Welte, U.S. District Court, Fargo, ND, this week and was sentenced to life in federal prison for abusive sexual contact with a child under the age of 12. Ducharme pleaded guilty to this offense on November 1, 2021.

“The Court reasonably sentenced this individual to life in prison based upon the facts, and that sentence ensures he will never abuse another child,” Schneider said. “This result is a testament to the courage of those who stepped forward to put an end to this abuse. It is also a credit to the professionalism of our law enforcement partners and career prosecutors who helped obtain a measure of justice in this case.”

"The FBI is fully committed to combating the sexual abuse and exploitation of children,” said Michal Krause, Acting Special Agent in Charge with the FBI. “This life sentence sends a clear message to those who target kids - we will find you and hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law."

As charged by the United States Attorney’s Office, Ducharme engaged in sexual abuse of a Native American child under the age of 12 from about 2008 until approximately 2016. An investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that Ducharme sexually abused a child from the ages of 3 to 11. The child was interviewed by the Northern Plains Children’s Advocacy Center during the investigative process.

The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, with Assistant United States Attorneys Dawn M. Deitz and Lori H. Conroy assigned to the case.

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