FARGO, ND—U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on November 24, 2014, Nathan Jones, Jr., 42, of St. Michael, ND, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson on a charge of felony child abuse and neglect. Jones pled guilty to the charge on August 27, 2014.

Judge Erickson sentenced Jones to serve one year in federal custody, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Jones was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund.

Between May 14, 2010 and continuing through April 4, 2013, on the Spirit Lake Indian reservation, Nathan Jones, Jr., who is the parent of six children aged 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and eight years, did willfully fail to provide proper parental care or control, subsistence, education as required by law, or other care or control necessary for the children’s physical, mental, or emotional health, or morals. Specifically, Jones was physically incapable of exercising proper parental care and control due to extreme intoxication which resulted in the children wandering unsupervised outdoors. Jones admitted to three specific incidents of leaving his children unsupervised due to his intoxication. Additionally, Jones admitted to neglecting the health care of three of his children by failing to bring a child to dental appointments resulting in the removal of his teeth, failing to bring a child to a follow-up appointment after a critical respiratory hospitalization, and failing to provide necessary medical attention a child’s severe skin condition resulting in bleeding wounds.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Janice M. Morley prosecuted the case.