FARGO — An Alabama man has been sentenced to life in prison for sexually abusing a Native American child in North Dakota.
Federal Judge Peter Welte handed down the sentence on Thursday, May 4, in Fargo to Whitehorse Ducharme, also known as Stanley Ducharme, 51, of Huntsville, Alabama. Ducharme, who previously lived in Belcourt, North Dakota, pleaded guilty in November 2021 to abusive sexual contact.
Court documents said he sexually abused a Native American child from 2008 until about 2016 on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. The child was less than 12 years old, prosecutors said.
Ducharme also faced three charges of aggravated sexual abuse of the child and two others, but those charges were dismissed due to a plea deal.
“The Court reasonably sentenced this individual to life in prison based upon the facts, and that sentence ensures he will never abuse another child,” said North Dakota U.S. Attorney Mac Schneider. “This result is a testament to the courage of those who stepped forward to put an end to this abuse. It is also a credit to the professionalism of our law enforcement partners and career prosecutors who helped obtain a measure of justice in this case.”
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