Dean Alan Smith, Aggravated Sexual Abuse, Montana 2024

BILLINGS — A federal jury today convicted a Lame Deer pastor of sexually abusing three children while they were staying at his home on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Dean Alan Smith, 67, was found guilty of aggravated sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact by force and two counts of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child. Smith faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.

According to court documents and trial testimony, Smith was the pastor of a local church in Lame Deer and housed several foster children and temporarily hosted other children from the community. In approximately 2021 and 2022, four girls disclosed being sexually abused by Smith between 2017 and 2020 while staying at his home.

The victims, identified as Jane Does 1, 2, 3, and 4, were under the age of 12 at the time of the abuse. The government alleged that Smith abused each of them, separately and in private, on multiple occasions.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided over the six-day trial. The court set sentencing for April 10, 2024, and Smith was remanded into custody pending further proceedings.

“Pastor Dean Smith led a double life, one as a Pastor and the other as a sexual abuser of young children,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. “I am thrilled the jury held Smith accountable for sexually abusing these victims and I hope holding him accountable will help the victims start the long road of healing from the trauma they’ve suffered.”

The FBI conducted the investigation and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.

Smith’s conviction marks a significant victory for the victims and their families, who have been seeking justice for the abuse they suffered at the hands of a trusted community leader.

With a maximum sentence of life in prison, Smith’s future is now uncertain. He will have to wait until April 10, 2024, to learn his fate.

The case serves as a reminder that sexual abuse can occur anywhere, even in the most trusted of communities. It also highlights the importance of supporting victims and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

In the meantime, the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation community is left to process the news of Smith’s conviction and the trauma that the victims have endured.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that justice is served and that victims receive the support they need to heal and recover.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mt/pr/federal-jury-convicts-lame-deer-pastor-sexually-abusing-children-northern-cheyenne