Fort Belknap man admits stabbing woman on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

GREAT FALLS - A Fort Belknap man accused of stabbing a woman multiple times during an argument admitted to an assault charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

The defendant, Leon Boyd Messerly, 63, pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Messerly faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Nov. 2. Messerly was detained pending further proceedings.

In court documents, the government alleged that on July 13, 2023 in their home on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, Messerly and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, got into a fight. Jane Doe stated that Messerly was angry at her for not protecting his son and punched her in the face. Messerly also grabbed a chef's knife and stabbed Jane Doe multiple times in her neck, back and left arm. Messerly then went to a friend's house and told the friend that he had stabbed Jane Doe. The friend checked on Jane Doe, saw her with stab wounds and drove her to the emergency room. Jane Doe was transported to a hospital in Great Falls where she underwent multiple surgeries.

The U.S. Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and Fort Belknap Police Department conducted the investigation.

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