A Heart Butte man has admitted to sexually abusing children on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, according to U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich. On January 14, Bradley Joseph Guardipee, aged 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual abuse and commission of a sex offense by a registered sex offender.
Guardipee could face life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years to life of supervised release for the aggravated sexual abuse charges. He also faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison for committing a sexual offense as a registered sex offender. This sentence would be consecutive to any sentence imposed for the aggravated sexual abuse charges.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the case and will determine the sentence after reviewing the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The sentencing is scheduled for May 28, with Guardipee detained until further proceedings.
A plea agreement between the parties suggested that an appropriate disposition would be between 20 and 30 years in prison.
Court documents allege that in July 2024, Jane Doe 3 reported being sexually assaulted by Guardipee in 2022 when she was 11 years old. She claimed the assault occurred while she was alone with him in a residence during a nap. Doe 3 stated she knew at least four other girls who had been abused by Guardipee, leading to forensic interviews where six girls disclosed some form of abusive touching by him.
The government also alleged that Jane Doe 1 reported ongoing sexual abuse by Guardipee since she was about three years old. In March 2024, at age 12, she reported an incident where Guardipee abused her while they were in a vehicle together. At this time, Guardipee was required to register as a sex offender due to a previous conviction from May 2023 for sexual assault in state District Court in Cascade County.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office with investigations conducted by Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and the FBI.