Attorney General's Office secures guilty plea from former deputy sheriff in child sexual abuse case

A Wibaux man pleaded guilty in Wibaux County District Court to two counts of incest with two children under the age of 16 and one count of sexual assault without consent with one child under the age of 16, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced earlier this week.

On July 25, Joshua Harris, 42, admitted to sexually assaulting three young girls multiple times over the span of about eight years. He began sexually abusing one young victim at the age of eight and mentioned multiple times he wanted to leave his now former wife and run off with one of the victims. Years before conviction, Joshua Harris served as the Wibaux County Deputy Sheriff.

The sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 17, 2023. The state will be asking the court to sentence Harris to the Montana State Prison for a total of 100 years with 80 years suspended, during which he will be ineligible for parole for the full 20 years.

Assistant Attorney General Jordan Salo and Prosecution Services Bureau Chief Daniel Guzynski prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Montana Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Yellowstone Valley Children’s Advocacy Center, and the Department of Health and Human Services.