ND man pleads guilty to sex charges

U.S. Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on July 13, Medicine Bird Morsette, 22, of New Town, N.D., pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual abuse of a minor and commission of a federal sex offense by a registered sex offender in United States District Court.

Morsette engaged in a sexual act with a 12-year-old juvenile sometime between August 2009 and March 2010 in the New Town area, authorities said. At the time of this offense,

Morsette was registered as a sexual offender with the state of North Dakota as a result of a prior federal juvenile adjudication for a sexual offense which involved another 12-yearold juvenile.

The charge of sexual abuse of a minor carries a statutory maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. The charge of commission of a federal sex offense by a registered sex offender carries a statutory maximum penalty of life in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of

Indian Affairs - Fort Berthold Agency and Three Affiliated Tribes Police Department.

Sentencing for Morsette has been scheduled for 11 a.m. Sept. 19, in U.S. District Court in Bismarck.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Volk is prosecuting the case.

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