A Montana pastor was found guilty of sexually abusing three children that were staying at his home on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Dean Alan Smith, 67, was found guilty by a federal jury on Monday of aggravated sexual abuse, abusive sexual contact by force and two counts of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child. The jury acquitted Smith of one count of abusive sexual contact of a child, according to a press release from the US Attorney’s office.
“Pastor Dean Smith led a double life, one as a Pastor and the other as a sexual abuser of young children,” U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. “I am thrilled the jury held Smith accountable for sexually abusing these victims and I hope holding him accountable will help the victims start the long road of healing from the trauma they’ve suffered.”
Prosecutors say Smith and his wife housed several foster children and temporarily hosted others in the community during their time on the reservation.
In 2021 and 2022, four girls revealed that Smith sexually abused them while they were staying at his home between 2017 and 2020. Prosecutors alleged that Smith forced the girls to engage in sexual contact. All of the victims were under the age of 12 at the time.
Smith will be sentenced on April 10,2024. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release.
