By BROOKLYN BROWN BIGMEAT
One Feather Reporter
CHEROKEE, N.C. – On the morning of Friday, July 10, Dakota Ward, a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), entered a guilty plea in Cherokee Tribal Court with Judge Barbara “Sunshine” Parker presiding. Ward was sentenced to a total of five years, with a release date of Jan. 2, 2031, for four counts of false imprisonment and four counts of child abuse in the first degree that occurred from June 2009 to January 2019. Ward will also be classified as a Tier 1 sex offender.
Ward’s defense attorney is Robert Saunooke. Ward was sentenced to three years in jail to be served consecutively, including his 188 days served. He will also serve an additional two years consecutively in a residential sex offender treatment program that he must apply to and complete successfully, or the two years will also be served in jail. Ward must also pay a total of $2,436 in fines and fees, which he chose to garnish from his per capita. Judge Parker said part of that total is a $1,500 fine for child abuse in the first degree that will be given to the Heart To Heart child advocacy program.
The four victims were also granted a lifetime 50(D) protective order, which is a civil no-contact order for victims of registered sex offenders, which Tribal Prosecuting Attorney Hayden Duncan said is the first 50(D) filed and ordered in Cherokee Tribal Court history. Duncan said Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Scott and Cherokee Indian Police Department (CIPD) Attorney Cody White were extremely helpful, and Leo Phillips, lead tribal prosecutor, said CIPD Sargeant Ashley Cromer was also instrumental for the case.
Ward cannot contact the victims or their immediate families, or the prosecuting witnesses. Ward will surrender in court on Monday, July 13 at 9 a.m.
