Aaron Reese Little Eagle Sentenced in U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls on January 5, 2012, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, AARON REESE LITTLE EAGLE, a 27-year-old resident of Missoula, appeared for sentencing. LITTLE EAGLE was sentenced to a term of:

• Prison: 84 months
• Special Assessment: $100
• Supervised Release: three years

LITTLE EAGLE was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to sexual abuse.

In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica A. Betley, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

In January 2011, the victim discussed suicidal thoughts with his family stemming from past sexual abuse by LITTLE EAGLE. When interviewed by law enforcement, the victim disclosed that when he was very young, he lived with foster parents in Poplar, which is located within the exterior boundaries of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. The victim lived at this house from age 3 to 14. LITTLE EAGLE also lived at the same house during this time period.

The victim stated that he was left home alone with LITTLE EAGLE when he was between 8 and 10 years old. During this time, LITTLE EAGLE grabbed the victim. The grabbing escalated and LITTLE EAGLE stuck his finger into the victim’s anus while he was clothed and unclothed. LITTLE EAGLE also put his penis in the victim’s mouth.

Later on, when the victim was between 11 and 12 years old, LITTLE EAGLE began to dry hump the victim. LITTLE EAGLE called the dry humping “chair time.” All of these incidents occurred in the living room and LITTLE EAGLE’s bedroom.

LITTLE EAGLE was interviewed and admitted that he sexually abused the victim two times. LITTLE EAGLE said the first incident of abuse occurred when the victim and himself were wrestling. He said the victim got an erection and began dry humping LITTLE EAGLE. LITTLE EAGLE then reached back and put his hand into the victim’s underwear and proceeded to fondle the victim’s penis. The second incident of abuse occurred approximately a month later when LITTLE EAGLE and victim were again wrestling. LITTLE EAGLE put his hand in the victim’s underwear and fondled his penis.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that LITTLE EAGLE will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, LITTLE EAGLE does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for “good behavior.” However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigation Division.