Darwin David Crawford Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Great Falls on March 31, 2009, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, DARWIN DAVID CRAWFORD, a 42-year-old resident of Browning, pled guilty to failure to register as a sexual offender. Sentencing is set for June 25, 2009. He is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On January 5, 2009, the Great Falls Tribune published a story indicating that CRAWFORD, a prior convicted sexual offender, was living on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and that he had failed to register or update his registration as required by Montana law.
The U.S. Marshal's Service began an investigation. CRAWFORD had been convicted of felony sexual assault on April 6, 2006, in the Montana Eighth Judicial District Court. CRAWFORD was sentenced to 8 years suspended prison time for sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl. Based on his conviction, CRAWFORD was required to register as a sexual offender and was informed of that obligation during his sentencing and in his judgment.
CRAWFORD ultimately moved to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and failed to update his registration with the Montana Sexual and Violent Offender Registry. CRAWFORD had registered while living with his mother in Browning; however, he moved from that residence while on state supervision for the above sex offense and failed to notify either his state supervising probation officer or the Montana Sexual Offender Registry that he had moved.
The Montana Sexual and Violent Offender Registry confirmed that CRAWFORD did not register or update his registration as required by law and the Glacier County Sheriff's Office also verified that he had not registered or updated his registration through their office.
CRAWFORD faces possible penalties of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and lifetime supervision.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Marshals Service.
A copy of the Offer of Proof can be obtained by contacting Sally Frank at (406) 247-4638.
