White Earth Man Receives 10 Years in Prison for Assault of a Minor

A White Earth man has been sentenced to 120 months in prison for the 2020 assault of a child on the White Earth Reservation.

According to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Edward Duane Fairbanks, 30, assaulted the victim on July 8th, 2020. Fairbanks reportedly shoved the child, who was under Fairbanks’ care, into a table intentionally. The child sustained serious injuries as a result.

After being taken to the hospital, doctors diagnosed the child with a large skull fracture and a subdural hematoma. In order to relieve pressure from the brain, the victim underwent a craniectomy.

On July 2, 2022, Fairbanks pleaded guilty to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

The White Earth Police Department, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, and FBI Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force all assisted in the investigation of this case.