A former federal Bureau of Indian Affairs officer pleaded guilty Thursday to sexual abuse of a minor on the Northern Cheyenne reservation while on duty in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Murrell Deela, then 29, was working for the agency on Aug. 7, 2024, when he apprehended the teenage girl and took her to an alternative location and allegedly raped her, the agency said in a news release.
The girl reported the incident the next day, and an FBI analysis supported the girl's claim, according to the agency.
Several days later, Deela was told to bring his vehicle to the BIA station for evidence collection, but he said it was on fire. Both the vehicle and its video system were severely burned, but an investigation by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents determined the fire was set intentionally, according to the Department of Justice.
According to investigators, Deela initially said he drove the girl directly home, but when confronted by further evidence, he said he took her to the alternative location, according to the justice department.
