FARGO — A Belcourt man was sentenced to life in federal prison for sexual abuse and strangulation in federal court in Fargo on Tuesday.

Justin Lee Baker, 44, Belcourt, appeared before District Court Judge Peter Welte, who sentenced Baker to life in prison with $400 in special assement fees for two counts of sexual abuse by threat of death or serious bodily injury and two counts of assault of a spouse, intimate partner or dating partner by strangulation.

According to information released by United States Attorney Mac Schneider, law enforcement in Belcourt were dispatched to a residence on Aug. 20, 2020, for a report of a domestic disturbance. The victim reported she had been severely beaten by her boyfriend, whom she identified as Baker. The victim was interviewed by the FBI in August 2023 regarding another incident where she was sexually assaulted by Baker, who strangled her until she lost consciousness.

Through the course of the investigation the FBI identified several other women physically and sexually assaulted by Baker, including the second victim in the second set of charges. The second victim said Baker held her captive in his camper, where he physically and sexually assaulted her.

“This sentence is a fitting one considering the brutality and depravity of the defendant’s crimes against his domestic partners and women in the community,” Schneider said. “Domestic violence and sexual abuse are serious crimes, and as this case shows we will not hesitate to bring abusers to federal court to face justice where our office has jurisdiction. I give credit to our career prosecutors and partners in the FBI for obtaining this result and removing this individual from the community.”