Fort Totten Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor
GRAND FORKS - United States Attorney Drew Wrigley announced that on November 26, 2007, Paul Wallace Robertson of Fort Totten, North Dakota, was sentenced before United States District Court Judge Ralph R. Erickson on a charge of sexual abuse of a minor.
Robertson, 41, pleaded guilty on September 11, 2007, to performing a sexual act on a minor child who was 14 years old at the time. The incident occurred in
December 2001 on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation. Robertson had been convicted in 1998 of sexual abuse of an 11-year old child.
Judge Erickson sentenced Robertson to ten years’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Robertson was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund. A restitution hearing will be held at a later date to determine the amount of the victim’s counseling expenses.
Robertson Sentenced Page 2 The court heard testimony from Robertson’s victims about how his crimes have impacted their lives. Judge Erickson used the victim-impact testimony as a basis for an upward departure in sentencing Robertson outside the guidelines.
U. S. Attorney Drew Wrigley said, “Paul Robertson sexually exploited and emotionally abused vulnerable young people whom he had a responsibility to protect. Robertson’s heartless acts across many years took away the children’s right to expect that they would be treated with dignity, compassion, and love. Robertson is going to federal prison, and justice has been done. Our thoughts are with the brave young people who stood up and said ‘Enough!’ They heroically told the truth and made sure that Paul Robertson’s sexual violence came to an end.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Janice M. Morley prosecuted the case.