A Riverton man has been sentenced to 71 years in prison for sexually abusing children on the Wind River Indian Reservation over a period of 25 years.
Dalco Gabriel Whiteman, 54, will likely spend the rest of his life in prison, given the sentence handed down Monday, said U.S. Attorney Bob Murray.
“Whiteman essentially received a life sentence and he can no longer harm another child on the reservation,” Murray said.
Whiteman was found guilty in September by a U.S. District Court jury on two counts of aggravated sexual assault and four counts of abusive sexual contact. The charges alleged he sexually abused multiple children to the Wind River Indian Reservation over a 25-year period.
The victims testified that Whiteman had sexually assaulted them over the years, some of them on numerous occasions.
“Every little girl and young women deserve a home and community where she feels safe and secure,” Murray said. “Not a place of fear and abuse. Stopping sexual predators like Dalco Whiteman is why our team of prosecutors work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners.”
Whiteman was arrested as the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
“The lengthy sentence of Dalco Whiteman hopefully brings a sense of justice to his victims, who suffered from decades of abuse,” said Michael Schneider, the FBI’s Denver Division special agent in charge.
After serving his sentence, Whiteman will have to complete 15 years of supervised release.
