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Poplar man convicted of Assault, Rape, Child Abuse sentenced to 20 years

poplar man convicted of assault rape child abuse sentenced to 20 years
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A Wolf Point man convicted by juries in two separate trials of rape, child abuse and assault crimes was sentenced Monday, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Chief Judge Brian M. Morris sentenced Luke John Scott, Sr., 33, to a total of 20 years and five months in prison, followed by a total of 10 years of supervised release.

On Jan. 28, a jury convicted Scott, Sr. of aggravated sexual abuse and of assault by striking, beating or wounding, a misdemeanor for raping and assaulting a woman in July 2017. The government alleged in court records and through evidence presented at trial that on July 7, 2017, Scott approached the victim, identified as Jane Doe, on the street, told her he had a bottle of vodka and that a relative was fishing by the Poplar river.

The victim went with Scott to the river, where he threatened to kill her, tried to strangle her and then raped her. Jane Doe reported the assault to law enforcement and was transported to the hospital in Poplar. On Nov. 19, 2020, a separate jury convicted Scott of felony child abuse that began in July 2018 and of assault resulting in serious bodily injury for an assault on the same minor child in March 2019. The crimes in both cases occurred on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. 

 The government alleged in court records and through evidence presented at trial that for approximately eight months, beginning in July 2018, Scott abused and injured a minor child in Wolf Point. The abuse culminated in a March 2019 assault in which Scott assaulted the child by repeated blunt force trauma to the head and strangulation. The victim was treated for serious injuries.

Morris sentenced Scott to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release in that case. Morris ordered the sentences in those two cases to run consecutively, for a total of 20 years and five months, and for the terms of supervised release in the two cases to run concurrently, for a total of 10 years of supervised release.

“Mr. Scott’s violent conduct not only seriously harmed the victims in these two cases but also endangered the entire community," said acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson. "These sentences will hold Mr. Scott accountable for his crimes, while protecting the community from further violence by him. Those who rape women and abuse children will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the cases, which were investigated by the FBI and Fort Peck Law Enforcement Services.

Authored by Traci Rosenbaum via Great Falls Tribune May 5th 2021

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