A Poplar man, Jonathan Robert Walking Eagle, 23, has been sentenced to 54 months in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing a minor. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.
Walking Eagle pleaded guilty in May 2025 to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the sentencing.
According to court documents, the incidents took place on January 24 and 25, 2023, when Walking Eagle was 20 years old. The victim, a 14-year-old girl, was abused on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in both Poplar and Wolf Point.
The first incident occurred in Poplar after the victim went with Walking Eagle to his mother’s house. The following day in Wolf Point, after using marijuana and vaping with Walking Eagle and another individual, the victim became lightheaded before being assaulted again.
A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) exam conducted on the victim collected saliva samples from Walking Eagle. DNA analysis showed strong support that his DNA was present in samples obtained from the victim during her exam.
The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and investigated by the FBI, Fort Peck Tribal Police, Wolf Point Police Department, and received assistance from the Williston Police Department.
"This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone," according to the press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. "On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results."
For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods visit Justice.gov/PSN.
