Kidnapping and sexual assault of Belgrade girl on Father’s Day:

Father's Day began with two young girls being terrified by a
hatchet-wielding man who broke into their homes in the early
morning.

A 12-year-old Gallatin County girl was able to stave off the attack
and talk.

But a second girl, 9 years old, wasn't so lucky. The man broke into
her Belgrade home soon after the first break-in and kidnapped her
from her bed.

The man gagged the girl, put her in a truck, drove to a different
location and sexually assaulted the girl twice. He also injected her
with methamphetamines before leaving her wrapped in a wet
blanket along Meadow View Road a few hours later.

Identified through victim descriptions and vehicle descriptions,
Travis Allan McLees, 25, of Three Forks was arrested the next
day, June 18, by Gallatin County sheriff's deputies. He faces seven
felony charges in the case.

On Dec. 13, just four days before he was to stand trial, McLees
pleaded guilty to three of the charges, aggravated kidnapping,
sexual assault and assault with a weapon.

Remaining charges are criminal endangerment, two burglary
charges and an attempted burglary charge. Trial on those charges
is scheduled for Feb. 25.

-- Kathleen O'Toole

 

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