C’erra Dawn Clark Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on April 25, 2013, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, C’erra Dawn Clark, a 23-year-old resident of Poplar, pled guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Sentencing has been set for July 26, 2013.

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

On March 18, 2012, Clark became frustrated and shook her infant child, K.M.B. She then threw the infant on the bed. Clark admitted to law enforcement that she had shaken the baby. Another individual witnessed this and recalled seeing Clark shake the baby enough to “really upset him.” Shortly after Clark shook her, the baby began having seizures.

The child was taken to the local hospital and then transported out of state to a Colorado children’s hospital, where she was diagnosed with retinal hemorrhages and underwent an operative procedure involving the placement of a bilateral subdural-peritoneal shunt. The child’s diagnosis for fully restored sight is “guarded,” as described by medical personnel.

Clark faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.

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