Stacey Kae Bruce, 36, Minot, who had originally been charged with Class C felony aggravated assault and accused of joining in a physical assault of a woman whom her stepson had just sexually assaulted, pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of Class B misdemeanor disorderly conduct last week and received a deferred imposition of sentence. That charge will be dismissed if she complies with all conditions. Stacey Bruce received credit for the eight days she already served in jail, was ordered to have no contact with the victim, and to pay $250 in court costs and restitution yet to be determined.

Bruce had been accused of striking the victim in the face and the head when the woman wanted to leave after the assault at an area campsite on July 18, 2020.

Bruce’s stepson, Dylan Lee Bruce, 19, who had originally been charged with Class AA felony gross sexual imposition and Class C felony aggravated assault, pleaded guilty in November to the lesser offenses of Class A misdemeanor sexual assault – offensive contact and Class A misdemeanor assault and was sentenced to 360 days in jail, all suspended but the 115 days he had served in the Ward County Jail, and one year of supervised probation. He had initially been accused of raping the woman, then punching her in the face with a closed fist and knocking her to the ground when she tried to leave the campsite and of urging his stepmother to keep beating the woman when Stacey Bruce joined in the assault.

According to court documents, two neighbors at the campsite had gone over to the Bruce campsite when they overheard the altercation and tried to intervene. The Bruces and family members refused to let the victim leave and berated the neighbors for getting involved.