Browning man admits sexual abuse, domestic assault charges

GREAT FALLS — A Browning man accused in two separate cases of sexually abusing a teenager and of domestic assault on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to charges on Nov. 1, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

Merlyn Marceau, 40, pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual abuse and to domestic assault by habitual offender. Marceau faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for the crime of aggravated sexual abuse, and a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for the crime of domestic assault by habitual offender.

A plea agreement reached in the cases calls for both matters to be sentenced at the same time and for the sentences in each case to run concurrent to each other.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The court set sentencing for March 27, 2024. Marceau was detained pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that on June 27, Marceau sexually abused a 13-year-old girl, identified as Jane Doe, in a shed at a residence. The government also alleged that on June 24, Marceau and a separate victim, also identified as Jane Doe and with whom he had been in a romantic relationship, began arguing. Marceau assaulted Jane Doe by striking her repeatedly. Marceau disclosed the assault to the FBI in an unrelated interview. Marceau had two prior domestic assault convictions from Browning Tribal Court.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley is prosecuting the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Blackfeet Child Protective Services investigated the sexual abuse case, and the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the domestic assault case.

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