GREAT FALLS - Alphonse Bird of Browning was convicted in federal court in Great Falls on Wednesday of sexually assaulting two women on the Blackfeet Reservation in 2018.
U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said in a news release that Bird, 82, was found guilty of one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of sexual abuse. The jury acquitted Bird of a second count of aggravated sexual abuse. The trial began on Monday.
The prosecution presented evidence at trial that on Sept. 15, 2018, the first victim approached a Blackfeet Law Enforcement officer near the Town Pump in Browning and reported that Bird had just raped her. Bird had picked her up near the Blackfeet Care Center and she thought he was giving her a ride home.
Instead, Bird drove toward East Glacier Park, parked the vehicle and raped her. The victim couldn’t get Bird to stop until she got sick. He dropped her off near Advanced Towing and witnesses helped her. The victim promptly reported the assault and cooperated with the investigation.
In the second assault, a witness called law enforcement on Nov. 4, 2018 to report an incident she had just observed south of Browning in which a vehicle was parked on the side of the road. The witness pulled up to the passenger side to see if the occupants needed assistance. Bird was in the driver’s seat and the victim was a passenger.
The victim attempted to sit up but was unable to do so. Bird drove away. The witness tried to follow but could not keep up and called law enforcement.
A law enforcement officer located the vehicle and when she approached, she saw Bird, who had his right arm in a sling and was putting a glove on his left hand. Bird said he was bringing his passenger home and was just turning around.
The victim told the officer that Bird had picked her up and she thought he was going to take her home. The victim was intoxicated and had trouble recounting what happened, but said Bird sexually assaulted her despite telling him to stop. The victim said Bird kept telling her she was going to be okay.
DNA analysis linked Bird to evidence collected from both of the victims.
