Dalton Hattem

A Minot man convicted of encouraging his wife to abuse residents of a Minot elder care facility she worked at has been sentenced to serve seven years with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Dalton Hattem, 34, was sentenced in North Central District Court on June 9 before Judge Todd Cresap. Hattem was convicted in September 2025 of two Class A felony counts of conspiracy to commit gross sexual imposition sexual contact/sexual act-victim unaware.

According to court documents, Dalton Hattem and his wife Amber Hattem were charged after illicit videos and photos of the abuse was found on their devices by authorities as a part of a separate investigation into cybertips reporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Amber Hattem was employed as a certified nursing assistant at a Minot care center at the time of the incidents, and admitted to investigators she created the illicit content for her husband’s sexual gratification.

Amber Hattem would go on to testify at her husband’s trial as a part of a plea agreement. She is currently awaiting sentencing in both cases.

According to a release after the four-day trial from North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley, whose office prosecuted the case, the jury returned its verdict after just 16 minutes of deliberations.

Cresap sentenced Dalton Hattem to serve 20 years with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation concurrently across both charges, to first serve seven years with credit for 544 days served. He was ordered to complete 10 years of supervised probation upon release, and have no contact with the victims, their victims, and Amber Hattem with a 50 foot distance. He was also assessed $1,025 in court fines and fees.

Hattem is also facing federal charges related to the CSAM case, as the state case has been dismissed.