Michael Thomas Bad Old Man Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on September 26, 2013, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Strong, Michael Thomas Bad Old Man, a 21-year-old resident of Browning and an enrolled member of the Blackfeet Tribe, pled guilty to burglary. Sentencing has been set for January 16, 2014. He is currently detained.

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

On October 18, 2011, Bad Old Man and another male individual, identified here as X.X., bumped into the female victim in Browning, which is within the exterior boundaries of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

Bad Old Man and the victim used to date each other. Bad Old Man and X.X. went to a bar but later decided to go confront the victim and her new boyfriend. After asking around, X.X. and Bad Old Man kicked in the door and entered a home in Browning, which was where the victim was staying with her new boyfriend.

When interviewed by the FBI, Bad Old Man stated that he had wanted to fight the victim’s new boyfriend when he entered the home. People had come out of various rooms in the house, and Bad Old Man admitted that he “tore into everybody that I seen” [sic]. Bad Old Man stated that homeowner’s boyfriend approached Bad Old Man. At that point, X.X. jumped in and started to fight with the homeowner’s boyfriend. Bad Old Man then went to the back of the residence and started using his fists to punch the victim’s new boyfriend.

Bad Old Man faces possible penalties of 20 years in prison, a $50,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.