Butte man pleads not guilty to felony counts of sexual abuse of children

A Butte man pleaded not guilty to three felony counts of sexual abuse of children at his arraignment on Wednesday in Butte-Silver Bow District Court.

The three charges against Dakota Lee Edward Firstraised, 27, involve him allegedly possessing or creating media in which a child is engaged in an actual or simulated act of sexual conduct.

Judge Robert Whelan addressed Firstraised, who appeared virtually from the Butte Detention Center.

Whelan explained the maximum penalty for each of the three counts would would be a 100-year sentence to the Montana State Prison with first 25 years not suspended or deferred, a $50,000 fine, and a requirement to enroll in sex offender treatment programs.

Per prosecutor Kaitlyn Lamb’s request, Whelan ordered the defendant have no contact with witnesses.

The alleged crimes occurred in mid-February. According to court records dated and signed April 22, the victims were reported to be girls aged 10 and 13-14.

On Feb. 13, a complainant brought Firstraised’s cellphone to Butte-Silver Bow police, according to an affidavit. A detective allegedly found two videos in a folder containing deleted media.

Later that month, detectives discovered three videos showing “what appears to be a pubescent child victim engaged in sexual conduct" after a forensic search was performed on the phone, according to the affidavit.

A pair of AI-generated, sex-related videos included a 10-year-old female’s school photo, according to the charging documents.

During Firstraised's first court appearance on March 27, his bond was set at $500,000. He remained in jail as of Thursday morning.