U.S. Attorney Jesse A. Laslovich | U.S. Department of Justice
A Heart Butte man has admitted to charges of sexually abusing children on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Bradley Joseph Guardipee, 26, pleaded guilty on January 14 to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and commission of a sex offense by a registered sex offender, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich.
Guardipee faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years to life of supervised release for the aggravated sexual abuse charges. Additionally, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for committing a sexual offense as a registered sex offender. This sentence would be consecutive to any imposed for the aggravated sexual abuse charges.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case and will determine the final sentence after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for May 28, with Guardipee detained pending further proceedings.
In a plea agreement, both parties agreed that an appropriate disposition would be between 20 and 30 years in prison.
Court documents reveal that Jane Doe 3 disclosed in July 2024 that she was sexually assaulted by Guardipee in 2022 when she was 11 years old. She reported being alone with him in a residence when the assault occurred while she was napping. Doe 3 also mentioned knowing at least four other girls who were abused by Guardipee. Subsequent forensic interviews led six girls to disclose abusive touching by him.
Jane Doe 1 reported ongoing sexual abuse by Guardipee since she was about three years old. In March 2024, at age 12, she disclosed an incident where he abused her while they were in a vehicle together. At this time, Guardipee was required to register as a sex offender following his May 2023 conviction for sexual assault in state District Court in Cascade County.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigations conducted by Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and the FBI.
