North Dakota man sentenced to 45 years for human trafficking

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge says a North Dakota man convicted of operating a drug and prostitution ring on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation must serve 45 years in prison.

A jury in April found Dustin Morsette, of New Town, guilty on several charges, including sex trafficking, sexual abuse, drug trafficking and witness tampering.

Morsette faced a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole. Judge Daniel Hovland says Morsette deserved a stiff sentence, but says a life sentence "is harsh for a 23-year-old man with no criminal history, a childhood spent living in 21 different foster homes, and a life plagued with dysfunction and chaos."

U.S. attorneys Brendan Johnson of South Dakota and Timothy Purdon of North Dakota say the two states are seeing an increased number of human trafficking cases.

Tags: north dakota, news, crime, updates