Box Elder man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for child sexual abuse

Brian Lee Bigbow pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact with a child

Missouri River Federal Courthouse, Great Falls, MT
Missouri River Federal Courthouse. Great Falls, MT.

By
Jun 5, 2025

GREAT FALLS — A Box Elder man was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Great Falls to 68 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for sexually abusing a child, marking the latest in a string of federal prosecutions for child sexual abuse on Montana’s Indian reservations.

Brian Lee Bigbow, 48, pleaded guilty in January to one count of abusive sexual contact by force and of a child. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided over the sentencing.

The sentencing comes just days after a Browning man received 30 months in prison for sexually abusing a 12-year-old child, highlighting ongoing federal efforts to prosecute crimes against children on tribal lands.

The case began in April 2021 when Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services received a centralized intake report regarding the abuse of a child, referred to in court documents as Jane Doe.

During interviews, the victim provided detailed accounts of the sexual abuse. According to court documents, the child told investigators that Bigbow hurt her and that the abuse occurred when she was in his bed watching television.

The victim described how Bigbow would turn off the TV and lights before assaulting her. Court documents state the child said Bigbow “raped her” — which she described as “sex when you don’t want it.”

According to the government’s allegations, Bigbow removed both his and the victim’s clothing during the assaults. The child attempted to resist but was unable to stop the abuse.

“His private parts touched her private parts and it, ‘hurt really bad,'” according to court documents describing the victim’s account.

The documents further detail that Bigbow would lie on top of the victim, touching her leg with his hand and attempting to hold her hand. The child told investigators that Bigbow threatened her not to tell anyone or he would hurt her.

The victim could not remember exactly how many times the abuse occurred but knew it happened multiple times, according to court records.

The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a comprehensive program that brings together law enforcement agencies at all levels with community partners to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer.

On May 26, 2021, the Department of Justice launched an enhanced violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN. The program operates on core principles including fostering trust and legitimacy in communities, supporting community-based violence prevention organizations, setting focused enforcement priorities, and measuring results.

The case highlights ongoing federal efforts to prosecute crimes against children, particularly those occurring on tribal lands where federal jurisdiction often applies.

Bigbow will serve his prison sentence in federal custody before beginning his decade-long supervised release period, during which he will be subject to various conditions and monitoring by federal probation officers.

This article is part of our series on Indian Country Crime covering criminal cases prosecuted under federal jurisdiction on tribal lands, including investigations by the FBI and other federal agencies and court proceedings in federal district courts.

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