A Billings man, James Kirby King, 58, has been sentenced to 290 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for a series of sex crimes committed over approximately three decades on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and in Billings. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
King was found guilty by a federal district judge in September 2024 on multiple charges, including aggravated sexual abuse of a child, incest, sexual exploitation of children, aggravated sexual abuse by rendering unconscious or drugging the victim, sexual abuse, attempted aggravated sexual abuse by rendering unconscious or drugging the victim, attempted sexual abuse, sexual abuse of a minor, aggravated sexual abuse by force, attempted possession with intent to sell child pornography in Indian Country, possession of child pornography in Indian Country, and attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case.
Evidence presented at trial led to convictions for offenses against several victims identified as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3, Jane Doe 4, Jane Doe 10 and others. Some victims were under the age of 12 at the time of the offenses; others were under 16 or adults. Most incidents occurred on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation where King previously lived; other offenses took place in Billings where he lived more recently. The criminal conduct began around 1992 and continued until King's arrest in 2023.
Court documents described how King repeatedly molested and exploited his victims over many years. For example, Jane Doe 1's first memory of molestation dates back to when she was five years old in 1996. In another instance from about 1994 or 1995 involving Jane Doe 2—then aged fourteen—King gave her alcohol at his residence before she lost consciousness; she later awoke to find King kneeling between her legs taking pictures. King also attempted to sexually exploit Jane Doe 3 on numerous occasions and forced sex acts on her both as a child and as an adult at various locations including Fort Belknap Reservation and Billings. He drugged and raped Jane Doe 4 when she was in her twenties while he was in his forties. In October 2023 he attempted to coerce Jane Doe 10 into sex trafficking.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Myers and Ryan Weldon. The investigation involved cooperation among the FBI, Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services and Great Falls Police Department.
"There is no place for these heinous crimes anywhere," said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
