Poplar Man Sentenced in Latest Fort Peck Sexual Abuse Case

GREAT FALLS — A 23-year-old Poplar man was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for sexually abusing a minor, marking the latest in a series of sexual abuse convictions targeting children and young adults on the Fort Peck Reservation this year.

Jonathan Robert Walking Eagle received 54 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release after pleading guilty in May to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over Tuesday’s sentencing in Great Falls Federal District Court.

The conviction adds to a troubling pattern of sexual abuse prosecutions involving young adults from Poplar. In September, two 19-year-olds pleaded guilty to sexual assault charges and face potential life sentences, while another Poplar man admitted to abusing two underage girls using social media and drugs.

DNA Evidence Secures Conviction

Walking Eagle was 20 years old when he sexually abused a 14-year-old girl on two occasions in January 2023, according to court documents. The first incident occurred January 24, 2023, at Walking Eagle’s mother’s house in Poplar. The second assault happened the following day in Wolf Point after the victim used marijuana and became lightheaded.

“Walking Eagle removed her clothes and sexually assaulted her,” prosecutors stated in court filings.

A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) completed an examination of the victim, and saliva samples were obtained from Walking Eagle. DNA analysis provided “very strong support” that Walking Eagle’s genetic material was present in samples obtained during the victim’s examination, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Fort Peck Tribal Police, and Wolf Point Police Department, with assistance from the Williston Police Department.

Part of Federal Crime Initiative

Walking Eagle’s prosecution falls under Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal program bringing together law enforcement agencies to reduce violent crime and enhance community safety. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme announced the sentence as part of the Department of Justice’s strategy to strengthen community-based violence prevention.

The Department of Justice launched its current violent crime reduction strategy in May 2021, focusing on fostering community trust, supporting prevention organizations, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring results.

Pattern of Abuse Cases

Walking Eagle’s conviction follows several high-profile sexual abuse prosecutions on the Fort Peck Reservation this year:

• September 2025: Chandler Duran Longtree and Payton Robert Richard Montclair, both 19, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a victim after drinking. Both face potential life sentences.
• September 2025: Emmett Alfred Buckles, 41, admitted to sexually abusing two underage girls between ages 12-16, using Facebook to contact victims and providing drugs including methamphetamine to facilitate assaults.

All cases involved collaborative investigations between federal and tribal law enforcement, highlighting the jurisdictional complexity of prosecuting major crimes on Indian reservations.

Walking Eagle’s case represents the federal government’s continued focus on prosecuting crimes against children in Indian Country, where federal authorities handle major felonies under the Major Crimes Act.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case,” officials stated, emphasizing the multi-agency approach to addressing violent crime on tribal lands.