Parmelee Man Pleads Guilty to Child Abuse
| U.S. Attorney’s Office September 17, 2013 |
United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Joseph Morrisette, age 43, of Parmelee, South Dakota, appeared before U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange on September 16, 2013, and pled guilty to count one of the indictment that charged him with child abuse.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is 10 years of imprisonment and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and an additional two years of supervised release upon revocation. Restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund may also be ordered.
The conviction stems from an incident on July 9, 2013, when Morrisette was babysitting several children at his home while he was drinking. He was intoxicated and struck the victim, giving the child a black eye.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.
Morrisette was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing which has been set for November 26, 2013.