Fort Totten Man Pleads Guilty to Felony Child Abuse Charges
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 20, 2011 |
GRAND FORKS—United States Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on September 20, 2011, Roman Cavanaugh, Jr., 35, of Fort Totten, North Dakota, pleaded guilty before United States District Court Judge Ralph R. Erickson to two charges of felony child abuse.
On December 16, 2010, Cavanaugh, Jr., used a closed fist to strike his 11-year-old and 12-year-old sons in their faces. Both children suffered bruising and swelling to their faces, and the 12-year-old could not speak for 24 hours because of the swelling to his jaw and mouth after taking numerous blows to his face. Two children, including one of the abused children, escaped from the house and ran next door to tell a neighbor, who notified law enforcement. Cavanaugh, Jr., was intoxicated at the time of the assaults. Both children were treated and released from a local hospital.
The charges of child abuse each carry a statutory maximum penalty of five years in federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sentencing for Cavanaugh, Jr., has been scheduled for December 9, 2011, in United States District Court in Fargo, North Dakota, at 9:00 a.m.
Assistant United States Attorney Janice M. Morley is prosecuting the case.