Browning man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for sexual abuse, domestic assault

GREAT FALLS - A Browning who admitted sexually abusing a teenager and domestic abuse in two separate cases on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation was sentenced today to 12 years and six months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today.

Merlyn Roger Lee Marceau, 41, pleaded guilty in November 2023 to aggravated sexual abuse and to domestic assault by habitual offender. A plea agreement reached in the cases calls for both matters to be sentenced at the same time and for the sentences in each case to run concurrent to each other.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

In court documents, the government alleged that on June 27, 2023, Marceau forcefully sexually abused a 13-year-old, identified as Doe, in a shed at a residence. The government also alleged that on June 24, 2023, Marceau and a separate victim, identified as Jane Doe and with whom he had been in a romantic relationship, began arguing. Marceau assaulted Jane Doe by striking her repeatedly. Marceau disclosed the assault to the FBI in an unrelated interview. Marceau had two prior domestic assault convictions from Browning Tribal Court.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kalah A. Paisley prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Blackfeet Child Protective Services investigated the sexual abuse case, and the FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the domestic assault case.

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