Date: 04-17-2017

Case Style: United States of America v. David Afterbuffalo

Case Number: 16-CR-0156

Judge: Nielson

Court: United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington (Spokane County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Alison L. Gregoire and Matthe F. Doggan

Defendant's Attorney: Matthew A Campbell - FPD

Description: Spokane, WA - Sex Offender Sentenced to a 270-Month Term of Imprisonment for Abusive Sexual Contact with a Child


David Afterbuffalo, age 41, of Wellpinit, Washington, was sentenced to a 270-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court supervision and continuing sex offender registration, for one count of Abusive Sexual Contact With a Child, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 2244(a)(5) and 1153.

Afterbuffalo entered plea of guilty on January 10, 2017, and, according to court documents, admitted repeatedly molesting a child under the age of twelve.

At sentencing, Afterbuffalo indicated he did not wish to make a statement. Senior Judge Nielsen told Afterbuffalo, “This conduct is a serious crime and a serious violation of the mores of our society.” Senior Judge Nielsen expressed concern that if the sentence was not significant and if Afterbuffalo did not receive the proper treatment, he could “perpetuate the same violent crime again and in the process do serious damage to some other young person.”

This was not Afterbuffalo’s first sex offense. Afterbuffalo pled guilty in 1999 to Sexual Intercourse Without Consent in violation of Montana Code 45-5-503(1), and was sentenced to a 20-year term of incarceration in Montana. After release, Afterbuffalo was convicted in 2013 in the Eastern District of Washington, of Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2250(a), and sentenced to 366 days confinement to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

Joseph H. Harrington said, “I commend the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Spokane Tribal Police, and the U.S. Marshal Service for their efforts in investigating the case and locating Afterbuffalo in South Dakota, where he had fled after committing the offense. The United States Attorney’s Office has been, and remains, committed with law enforcement to protect children throughout the Eastern District of Washington through thorough investigation, aggressive prosecution, and seeking lengthy sentences in violent crimes against children.”

This case was pursued as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May, 2006 by the United States Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. The Project Safe Childhood Initiative (“PSC”) has five major components:

• Integrated federal, state, and local efforts to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases, and to identify and rescue children;

• Participation of PSC partners in coordinated national initiatives;

• Increased federal enforcement in child pornography and enticement cases;

• Training of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents; and

• Community awareness and educational programs.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

For information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshal Service, and the Spokane Tribal Police.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to a 270-month term of imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court supervision and continuing sex offender registration.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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