Montana, USA – Web Desk: A former officer of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has been formally charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in Montana.
According to prosecutors, the suspect, identified as Morella Dela, admitted to committing the assault and attempting to conceal the crime. The incident occurred in August 2024 at the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, where Dela allegedly met the victim at a gas station.
Court documents indicate that when the girl tried to flee, Dela unlawfully used his authority to detain her, placing her in his on-duty vehicle and assaulting her. He later transported her to her grandmother’s home. The victim reported the attack the following day.
Investigators also discovered that Dela intentionally set his on-duty vehicle on fire after being asked to provide video footage from the night of the assault. FBI Special Agent in Charge Justin Gurkin described Dela’s actions as a betrayal of public trust and commended the victim for her courage in reporting the crime.
The case has drawn attention to the misuse of legal authority by government officials and ongoing concerns about the safety of minors on reservations.
