Man admits domestic abuse of victim on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation

GREAT FALLS — A man suspected of strangling and assaulting a woman on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation admitted today to domestic assault by habitual offender, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Clay Bad Hawk, 25, pleaded guilty to domestic abuse by habitual offender.  Bad Hawk faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Chief Judge Morris will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Feb. 9, 2023. Bad Hawk was detained pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that in December 2021, Bad Hawk punched, slapped, kicked and strangled the victim, identified as Jane Doe, who was in a relationship with him. Officers responded to a call of an assault and found the victim hiding under a porch. The victim was transported to a hospital for treatment of injuries. The victim told law enforcement she thought she was going to die, and that Bad Hawk had assaulted her before. Bad Hawk has two prior domestic violence convictions from tribal court.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement and Rocky Boy’s Police Department.