Assistant District Attorney Fort Bend District Attorney's Office
This presentation will discuss the challenges, opportunities, and procedures in federal child sex abuse prosecutions in Indian Country, and transition to a case study that began in Oklahoma on tribal lands and ended in New York, requiring collaboration with state, tribal, and federal agencies to get results for our victim. In this case, the minor victim was in the backseat of a pickup truck driving cross country, and the defendant was brazen enough to sexually abuse her with her parents inches away in the front seat. It will further delve into how best to approach these issues and the pros and cons of a case going federal, or whether it would better be prosecuted by the tribe or state. Topics will include various federal charges, punishment ranges, using the grand jury as an investigative tool, and the Supreme Court decision that changed the landscape of federal child sex abuse cases.
Learning Objectives:
After participating in this session, attendees should be able to understand McGirt and it's effects on prosecuting cases in Indian Country
Attendees should be able to explain Indian Country and which cases fall under federal jurisdiction, and the various charging options
available in Indian Country
Promote a deeper understanding of the challenges faced in working with federal, state and tribal agencies to prosecute crimes in Indian Country
