James Dean Bledsoe, a 32-year-old resident of Muldrow, Oklahoma, has pleaded guilty to three counts of child abuse in Indian Country. The plea was announced by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The indictment accused Bledsoe of harming and torturing three children under his care between January 1 and September 24, 2024. The allegations included restraining the children, covering their mouths, and punishing them with cold water while withholding food. These acts reportedly took place in Sequoyah County within the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muldrow Police Department. U.S. Magistrate Judge D. Edward Snow accepted Bledsoe's plea in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. A presentence investigation report has been ordered, and Bledsoe will remain in custody until sentencing.
The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger.