Wilbin Jesse Jackson Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

March 18, 2010 - The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls on March 17, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, WILBIN JESSE JACKSON, a 31-year-old resident of Rocky Boy, pled guilty to abusive sexual contact. Sentencing has been set for July 5, 2010. He is currently detained.

In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebekah J. French, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

JACKSON and his wife, son and brother-in-law spent the evening of July 4, 2009, socializing at the home of JACKSON’s cousin, “William”.

William and his family live with William’s mother in the Halftown housing area on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. T.J. is Williams’ 12-year-old daughter.

At some point, JACKSON’s wife left the party with her brother and son because JACKSON was drinking alcohol. After JACKSON’s wife left the party, JACKSON and his cousin, William, got into an argument. William’s wife took William for a drive to settle him down.

T.J. went to bed around midnight on July 4, 2009. Her grandmother had already gone to bed. At some point, she was awakened by a knock on her bedroom door. Although she did not answer, the door opened and JACKSON asked if he could sleep on the floor in her bedroom. She said no, and suggested he sleep in the back bedroom. T.J. went back to sleep for a short time, but was once again awakened when she felt a hand touching her “privates” – her genital area – over her clothing, but under the covers. She knew it was JACKSON and told him to stop. She tried to get out of bed and leave, but JACKSON grabbed her arms and pulled her back. He kissed her and put his tongue in her mouth. After about five minutes, T.J. got away from JACKSON and went to her grandmother’s room and told her what happened.

Her grandmother went to find JACKSON, who was in the sewing room acting like he was passed out. When the grandmother could not find T.J.’s parents in the house, she called their cell phone and explained what had happened. When William arrived at home, he chased JACKSON out of the house and the men started fighting. His wife called the police at that point. JACKSON ran away when he saw the police coming, but was eventually found and arrested.

A Fort Belknap tribal officer took T.J. and her mom to the Indian Health Service, where T.J. was examined by a registered nurse and a doctor. T.J. made the following statement to the nurse, “I was at my own home in my own room in my bed sleeping when he came in my room and laid down beside me. He began to touch my privates. I tried to get away and he grabbed me and pulled me back down beside him and then he kissed me and put his tongue in my mouth. I continued to fight him until I did get free of him and I just ran out of the house to my grandma’s house and told her what had happened.” T.J. identified the person who did this as JACKSON.

JACKSON faces possible penalties of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Fort Belknap Tribal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.