Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
A Spirit Lake man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for assault resulting in serious bodily injury of a child.
Jonathan James Hill, 23, also will be placed on five years of supervised release and was ordered not to have contact with children younger than 18. He will be required to pay restitution.
According to court documents, Hill assaulted a 20-month-old child he was a parent or guardian to in a Fort Totten residence around Dec. 26, 2018 - Jan. 1, 2019, which resulted in serious injuries consistent with shoving and hitting with closed fists. Documents noted that the child is eligible for enrollment in the Spirit Lake Tribe and is the biological child of an enrolled person.
Emergency medical technicians responded to a report on the Spirit Lake Reservation of an unresponsive baby on Jan. 1. EMTs described the child as "noticeably bruised to face and entire body," according to court documents, and the injuries were characterized as nonaccidental. As a result of the injuries, the child was transferred to Sanford Medical Center, where the 20-month-old underwent surgery for a left and right craniectomy and a months-long hospitalization.
Hill faced a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of $250,000 and a minimum sentence of 10 years. Another count of child abuse was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
