District of Montana

GREAT FALLS – A former Fort Peck Tribes law enforcement officer admitted on Monday to defrauding the tribes of $40,000 in a scheme where he proposed a program to help youth but spent the money on himself, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today.

Willard Wilson White, III, 43, of Glasgow, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and to income tax evasion. White faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris set sentencing for Sept. 25 and continued White’s release.

In court records filed by the prosecution, White was employed as a law enforcement officer for the Fort Peck Tribes. In June 2015, White approached the tribe’s Law and Justice Committee with a proposal to create a facility and programs to help youth who were separated from families through incarceration. White said he needed a total of $40,000 to establish the proposed Family Justice Center. White posted about the project on Facebook.

Prosecutors said evidence showed that White spent the money in less than 30 days and provided no services to the Fort Peck Tribes. Bank records indicated that White had $32.39 in his bank account before depositing the tribe’s money. The day of the deposit, White went to Williston, N.D., and withdrew $305 from Whisper’s, which is a local strip club. White continued spending money at retail stores and also bought a Jeep. In addition, White withdrew more than $11,000 in cash, all in less than three weeks.

Various tribal members saw White posting on Facebook and spending the money and instructed White to return the leftover money. White never did, and he did not provide any services to the tribe. 

The investigation also showed that White omitted on a 2015 tax return the $40,000 of income from the tribes. He also claimed dependents he was not entitled to claim. White filed six returns, which were rejected because the claimed dependents already were claimed by someone else. On a seventh attempt, White used an unclaimed child and Social Security number. White used children to obtain a $5,860 refund while paying nothing in federal tax. White’s tax evasion efforts resulted in him owing $10,184 to the IRS.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Weldon and Karla Painter prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Fort Peck Tribes and the Department of Interior’s Office of Inspector General.

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GREAT FALLS—Poplar resident Dennis Red Boy, who admitted causing the death of an infant who would not stop crying, was sentenced on Wednesday to five and one-half years in prison and to two years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Red Boy, 28, pleaded guilty in February to involuntary manslaughter in the Aug. 15, 2017 death of a six-month old baby girl in Poplar on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Judge Morris also ordered $3,500 restitution.

The prosecution said in court records that Red Boy was taking care of children when the infant would not stop crying. He placed the baby on her back, then flipped her over by her foot. He then placed a heavy blanket over her. When he returned about an hour later, the infant was dead. Red Boy initially told law enforcement that the baby had choked on a bottle then admitted that story was incorrect.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on June 6 was:

Terry Lynn Braine, 54, of Ashland, on charges of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Braine faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Braine was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Pacer case reference. 19-64.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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GREAT FALLS—A judge on Wednesday sentenced a Box Elder man to eight months in prison and three years of supervised release in the assault of his domestic partner on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Larry Ray Denny, Jr., 46, pleaded guilty in January to domestic assault by habitual offender.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The assault occurred on Oct. 15, 2017, the prosecution said in court records. The victim told law enforcement that Denny had hit her. The victim had swelling on an eye, blood on her forehead and red marks on her neck. Denny had two prior domestic assault convictions.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassady Adams and Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement.

 

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 30 was:

Julian Tyler Baughman, 36, of Billings, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Baughman faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Baughman was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-63.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch and pleading not guilty on May 30 was:

Gage Lawrence Carnefix, 22, of Bozeman, on charges of distribution of child pornography, receipt of child porn and possession of child porn. If convicted of the most serious crime, Carnefix faces a minimum mandatory five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Carnefix was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Helena Police Department and the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-10.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

  

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GREAT FALLS—Big Sandy resident Joe Don Demontiney, who admitted to illegally possessing a firearm, was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and to three years of supervised release on May 30, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Demontiney, 37, pleaded guilty in January to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The prosecution said in court records that Demontiney led the Montana Highway Patrol on a high-speed chase that began on May 23, 2018 on Highway 87 between Big Sandy and Box Elder. The trooper saw a large cloud of black smoke coming from the rear of a Honda Civic that Demontiney was driving and thought the car was on fire. The trooper pursued the Honda, which had been stolen in Great Falls three days earlier. Speeds reached at least 98 mph before Demontiney finally came to a stop on a county road. Inside the vehicle, the trooper saw drug paraphernalia and a black pry bar. Ultimately, the trooper seized a semi-automatic rifle and a semi-automatic pistol from the car. Demontiney, who had a prior felony conviction in state District Court, was prohibited from possessing firearms.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montana Highway Patrol.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

 

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MISSOULA—In the 12 months that Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative, has been at work in Missoula County, violent crime has fallen significantly as  law enforcement has dismantled drug trafficking rings, seized methamphetamine and firearms, and prosecuted nearly 70 federal and state offenders, top federal, state and local prosecutors announced today.

Since PSN launched in May 2018, murder, robberies and aggravated assaults in Missoula County, as reported by the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office and Missoula Police Department, decreased by 18.1 percent. At least 60 fewer people were the victim of violent crimes than in the previous 12 months.

U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, Montana Department of Justice’s Communications Director John Barnes and Missoula County Attorney Kirsten Pabst discussed the PSN results during a news conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Missoula.

PSN is a reinvigorated U.S. Department of Justice initiative that targets the most violent criminals in high-crime areas and works with federal, state and local law enforcement and community partners to reduce crime. PSN Missoula County has focused on arresting and prosecuting armed robbers, meth traffickers and felons with firearms.

“PSN in Missoula County is paying off. Violent crime has dropped sharply.” Attorney Alme said. “The numbers show that the hard work by all of our federal, state and local law enforcement, prosecutors and probation and parole officers is making a real difference in the community. To further drive down the violent crime rate, we need to continue getting the most dangerous offenders off the street and we need to reduce the demand for meth,” he said.

“Federal, state, and local cooperation through Project Safe Neighborhoods has reduced Missoula’s violent crime rate,” Montana Attorney General Tim Fox said, in a statement from Helena. “Through targeted enforcement we have saved lives, taken significant quantities of meth off of the streets, seized deadly weapons from criminals, and brought many of the worst offenders to justice. I am grateful to all of the law enforcement agencies and personnel participating in these efforts and I look forward to continuing this collaborative work in the future.”

Before PSN, the City of Missoula’s violent crime rate had increased 49 percent from 2011 to 2017. Methamphetamine was identified as a primary cause of the increase in violent crime.

In the 12 months PSN has been in effect, Missoula’s murders, robberies and aggravated assaults have fallen 18.1 percent to 271 crimes, continuing a decline of 4.9 percent, or 331 crimes, reported for the prior 12 months. Until then, violent crime had been generally increasing.

Since May 1, 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s office has charged 43 defendants with federal meth trafficking, armed robbery and firearms offenses.

In addition, 20.5 pounds of meth, representing 74,292 doses and having an estimated $656,000 street value, have been seized in the federal cases. Law enforcement officers also have seized 44 firearms, including three semi-automatic assault-style rifles. The U.S. Marshals Service Violent Offender Task force has served 330 federal and state warrants on violent offenders in Missoula County.

Since last May, Missoula County has charged 26 persons with state meth or heroin possession, assault with a weapon, burglary, deliberate homicide and strangulation crimes.

“PSN’s greatest accomplishment is that it has bridged a historical gap, bringing all of the key players to the same table to work together, sharing information with the goals of identifying Missoula’s most dangerous offenders, focusing our resources on those who present the greatest risk and eliminating red tape and duplicative efforts,” said County Attorney Pabst. “The Missoula County Attorney’s Office is pleased to be part of this effort to make our neighborhoods safer,” Pabst said.

In addition to continuing its enforcement strategy to further cut the violent crime rate, PSN will work to reduce the demand for meth. In Yellowstone County, where PSN also has been in initiated, a coalition of nonprofit and government organizations, called Yellowstone Substance Abuse Connect, is developing a community plan to reduce the demand for meth through prevention and treatment. Once completed later this year, the plan will be available for other Montana communities, like Missoula, to use and tailor for their needs.

PSN Missoula County’s partners include the U.S. Attorney’s Office; Missoula  County Attorney’s Office; Montana Department of Justice’s Prosecution Services Division, Highway Patrol and the Division of Criminal Investigation; the Montana Department of Correction’s Adult Probation and Parole Division; the Missoula Police Department; the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshal’s Service.

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 The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 20 was:

Christopher Lee Minor, 33, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Minor faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Minor was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-72.

Appearing on May 21:

Matthew Robert-Jefferson Miller, 31, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Miller faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Miller was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-71.

Thomas Kent Stevens, 29, of Billings, on charges of production of child pornography and possession of child porn. If convicted of the most serious crime, Stevens faces a minimum 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Stevens was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-55.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on May 22 was:

Christopher Harwood Mason, 55, of Browning, on charges of assault by striking, beating or wounding. If convicted of the most serious crime, Mason faces a maximum one year in prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release. Mason was released pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and the Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services. Pacer case reference. 19-31.

Appearing before U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris and pleading not guilty on May 23 was:

Pascasio Proano-Dominguez, 48, of Mexico, on charges of illegal reentry. If convicted of the most serious crime, Proano-Dominguez faces a maximum two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Pacer case reference. 19-39.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch on a complaint on May 20 was:

Robert David Barclay Jr., of Pocatello, Idaho, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Barclay faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release.  Barclay was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the Missouri River Drug Task Force and the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-34.

Appearing on May 22 was:

Barbara Brown, 29, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brown faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and a minimum five years of supervised release. Brown was detained pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations and the Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-23.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

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BILLINGS—A Kalispell man who admitted drug trafficking and firearms crimes after law enforcement seized meth from his Billings hotel room last year was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and to five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Christopher Scott Hurst, 30, pleaded guilty in December to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

Prosecutors said in court records that Hurst was arrested on Feb. 27, 2018 at a Billings hotel. Agents with the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force served a search warrant on Hurst’s room and seized about a half-ounce of meth and $1,488 cash. After the search, hotel staff found a handgun that had been missed in the initial search.

Hurst told investigators that he had been getting meth, heroin and cocaine from two persons in California and that these persons had been bringing large quantities of drugs to Billings for months. Hurst also admitted he had been getting four to eight ounces of meth almost every day for months.

In addition, a witness who was familiar with Hurst’s activities told agents he had repeatedly seen Hurst with firearms and meth and that Hurst had traded firearms for meth on several occasions.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI, EMHIDTA and Billings Police Department.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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BILLINGS – A Garryowen man this week admitted involuntary manslaughter and assault charges stemming from an August 2018 vehicle crash that killed one passenger and injured two other passengers on the Crow Reservation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Gus Oldbear III, 20, pleaded guilty on May 21 to involuntary manslaughter and to two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. Oldbear faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the assault charge and a maximum eight years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the manslaughter charge. Watters released Oldbear pending sentencing.

Prosecution evidence in court records said that Oldbear was driving a truck on a secondary highway between Wyola and Lodge Grass at about 4 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2018 when it left the road, hit a ditch and rolled. One of the three passengers in the truck died as a result of the crash, while the other two suffered serious injuries.

Oldbear and the three passengers, and an additional person, had been drinking and driving around most of the day on Aug. 9 and evening of Aug. 10. The additional person was dropped off in Wyola immediately before the crash. Oldbear admitted in an interview that he had been drinking but claimed that the cause of the crash was him falling asleep. A blood test taken from Oldbear at the time of crash determined he had a blood-alcohol concentration of .123 percent.

An autopsy performed on deceased person confirmed the cause of death was blunt force trauma caused by the crash. Both of the surviving passengers suffered spinal fractures and other fractures and lacerations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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BILLINGS—A Mexican citizen convicted in an investigation in which law enforcement seized 34 pounds of meth, worth an estimated $1.5 million, from a hotel room was sentenced to 57 months in prison and five years of supervised release on Wednesday, U.S. Kurt Alme said.

Jorge Luis Mendez-Sanchez, 35, of Mexico, pleaded guilty in January to possession with intent to distribute meth.

Thirty four pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 123,216 doses and has an estimated street value of $1.54 million.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.

Prosecutors said in court records that a confidential informant for the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force learned in July 2018 from a source of meth named Oscar that a relative was flying to Billings from Salt Lake City to conduct the sale of 35 pounds of meth. The meth was coming from Oscar’s associates, who included Mendez-Sanchez and co-defendant, Aldo Pardini.

Agents identified another co-defendant, Jose Jesus Islava-Lopez, as Oscar’s relative and followed him from the Billings airport to a Billings hotel. Islava-Lopez checked into a room and met with Pardini in the parking lot. Pardini and Mendez-Sanchez, who were staying together in a separate room, had transported the meth for the proposed sale together from Arizona in Pardini’s car.

Agents detained Islava-Lopez in the lobby. Islava-Lopez told the agents that Oscar had directed him to fly to Billings for a job, rent a room at the hotel and meet a person in a car in the parking lot. After meeting Pardini in the parking lot, Islava-Lopez went to the room shared by Pardini and Mendez-Sanchez and took a suitcase Pardini gave him back to his own room. Investigators served search warrants on both hotel rooms and the vehicle and found about 34 pounds of meth in Islava-Lopez’s room.

Islava-Lopez and Pardini have pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI Task Force and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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BILLINGS—Billings resident Keith Alan Rose, who admitted to methamphetamine trafficking crimes, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on May 16, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Rose, 48, pleaded guilty earlier to conspiracy to possess meth for distribution and to possession with intent to distribute meth.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.

The prosecution said in court documents that an investigation of Rose began in November 2016 when the Billings Police Department received an anonymous email reporting that Rose, also known as “Rabbit,” had been trafficking meth in Billings. Law enforcement officers developed probable cause to search Rose’s house, which they did after getting a search warrant. Officers found meth, paraphernalia, concealment cans, ledgers, plastic baggies and a digital scale along with ammunition.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Transnational Organized Crime –West Task Force and the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch and pleading not guilty on May 15 was:

Aaron Matthew Manning, 29, of Bozeman, on charges of distribution of child pornography, transportation of child porn and receipt of child porn. If convicted of the most serious crime, Manning faces a minimum five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Manning was detained. The case was investigated by the Bozeman Police Department, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-11.

Bruce Alan Gagne, 59, of Bozeman, on charges of receipt of child pornography. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gagne faces a minimum five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Gagne was released pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the Bozeman Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-12.

Francis Edward Burke, Jr., 25, of Polson, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Burke faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Burke was detained. The case was investigated by the Polson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-22.

Dominique Autherallen Hamilton, 22, of Helena, and Jada Marie Johnson, 23, of Helena, on charges of bank fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted of the most serious crime, Hamilton and Johnson face a maximum 30 years in prison, a $1 million fine and five years of supervised release. Hamilton and Johnson were released pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-04.

Jeffrey Kenneth Knapp, 41, of Montana City, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Knapp faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Knapp was released pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-3.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on May 16 was:

Michael Alan McNulty, 54, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted of the most serious crime, McNulty faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and a minimum five years of supervised release. McNulty was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-51.

Harley Matthew Isis McMillan, 24, a transient, on charges of sexual abuse of a minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, McMillan faces a maximum 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. McMillan was released pending further proceedings. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-50.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

  

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MISSOULA—Bozeman resident Jamie Brock Grubb, who admitted receiving and distributing sexually explicit images of a minor girl and cyberstalking the victim, was sentenced to 16 years in prison on May 16, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Grubb, 31, also was sentenced to 20 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $50,000 restitution.

Grubb pleaded guilty in January to a total of 10 counts, including seven counts of distribution of child porn, transportation of child porn, cyberstalking and interception of wire, oral and electronic communications.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

Prosecutors said in court documents that in 2011, Grubb was in a relationship with a minor girl and took sexually explicit images of her. While a minor, the girl also took sexually images of herself and sent them electronically to Grubb. Grubb then distributed those images on different websites without the victim’s knowledge from 2015 to 2017.

Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office detectives served search warrants for Grubb’s email account and determined that he had transported the sexually explicit images and a video of the victim by emailing them to himself.

Detectives also analyzed the victim’s smart phone and other smart phones in Grubb’s possession and determined Grubb had placed spytracker software on the victim’s phone without her knowledge. There was evidence of the same software on Grubb’s phone. Detectives also found that Grubb had intercepted the victim’s communications, finding audio recordings of the victim’s phone calls with third parties on his phone.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by Montana Probation and Parole, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

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Missoula—A Missoula man who admitted distributing methamphetamine and other drugs and to having multiple firearms was sentenced today to eight years in prison and to five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Nickolas William Povsha, 24, pleaded guilty earlier to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided at sentencing.

Prosecutors said in court records that Povsha twice sold a confidential informant MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, in April and May 2018. And in July 2018, pursuant to a federal search warrant, two packages belonging to Povsha were intercepted and searched. One package contained more than 50 grams of pure methamphetamine and the other contained marijuana seeds. A third package was searched at a later date and was found to contain Xanax.

Law enforcement also executed a search warrant at Povsha’s residence in August 2018 and found multiple firearms, ammunition, drugs, a scale and other items.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations.

 The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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MISSOULA—Libby resident Candace Hessel Cummings, who admitted to not paying income taxes, was sentenced today to five years of probation and ordered to pay $48,516 restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Cummings, 65, pleaded guilty to tax evasion in January.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

Prosecutors said in court records that Cummings failed to report income of about $140,188 in 2012, which produced a tax loss of $35,096, and income of about $52,500 in 2013, which produced a tax loss of $13,420.

In late 2011, Cummings became the financial caretaker for a person who was unable to care for herself. Adult Protective Services assigned a power of attorney to Cummings on the individual’s behalf. APS told Cummings she needed to keep track of receipts for expenses she paid for the individual, and Cummings agreed to serve as a fiduciary without compensation.

In 2012 and 2013, Cummings used the individual’s money for personal expenses and failed to report the money as income on her own tax returns. 

In 2013, after several suspicious transactions involving the individual’s certificates of deposit and savings bonds, the bank contacted APS and local law enforcement. APS revoked Cummings’ power of attorney based on the suspicious activity.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Racicot prosecuted case, which was investigated by the IRS’s Criminal Investigation Division.

 

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BILLINGS—A Billings man convicted by a jury in the armed robbery of Dotty’s Casino last year was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,424 restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

A jury in January found Antonio Francisco Gutierrez, 36, guilty of three counts, including robbery affecting commerce, brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided in the case.

Prosecutors alleged that on Feb. 5, 2018, Gutierrez asked co-defendant, Christopher Esrey, to drive him to Dotty’s Casino, on Montana Sapphire Drive, near Shiloh Road, to meet a friend to “get some money.” The pair arrived at the casino at about 11:43 p.m. Esrey waited in the car while Gutierrez entered the casino wearing a hood, hat and facemask. He tried to open the inner door but it was locked. Gutierrez pushed a buzzer to summon a casino attendant, who motioned for him to remove his clothing before she unlocked the inner door.

Gutierrez mimed as if he was going to remove the items and the attendant opened the door and began walking back to her station, prosecutors alleged. When the attendant unlocked the door, Gutierrez stopped removing his face coverings, took a pistol from his coat pocket, cocked it and pointed it at the attendant’s back. The attendant, who was pregnant,  complied with Gutierrez’s instruction to empty the till.

Gutierrez got into the idling vehicle, and the attendant reported the robbery to the Billings Police Department. Officers located Gutierrez and Esrey at another casino.

Esrey pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact and was sentenced to 15 months in prison and to three years of supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colin Rubich and Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Billings Police Department.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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Montana Department of Justice photo Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme acknowledges and thanks law enforcement officers for their service at Montana Peace Officers Memorial Day in Helena. 

 

BILLINGS— U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme today recognized the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal police officers on the occasion of National Police Week, which is being observed Sunday, May 12 to Saturday, May 18, 2019.

Speaking at the 2019 Montana Peace Officers Memorial Day at the Montana State Capitol, Alme said he was honored to pay respect to the sworn law enforcement officers across Montana and the country who put their lives at risk every day and night to keep the public and our communities safe.

In October 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls National Police Week. Police Week recognizes the service and sacrifice of U.S. law enforcement officers and pays special recognition to those who have died in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others.

 “I want to acknowledge the work performed by our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, who often face uncertain and dangerous situations without question and without expectation of thanks.  We want them to know they have our unwavering support and appreciation,” Attorney Alme said.

While 106 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty across America last year, none of the officers were from Montana, Alme said.

Each year, about 60,000 officers are assaulted, and 17,000 officers are injured.

In recent months, two Montana officers have been injured or assaulted while in the line of duty.  Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Wade Palmer, based in Missoula, was shot and severely wounded while pursuing an alleged shooter, and Park County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Elliott-Pearson was injured in a head-on crash when an oncoming driver veered into his lane and hit him. Both officers have been undergone surgeries and are expected to survive.

“I want to join many across our state in thanking Trooper Palmer and Deputy Elliott-Pearson, and their families, for their sacrifice for our safety,” Attorney Alme said.

For more information about other National Police Week events, please visit www.policeweek.org.

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HELENA—A woman who stole approximately $219,980 from Kmart stores in 11 states, including Montana, was sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon sentenced Lynada Laticia Mahone, 40, of Chicago, IL, to 45 months in prison and to three years of supervised release. He also ordered $219,980 restitution. Mahone pleaded guilty to wire fraud in December 2018.

Court records filed by the prosecution said that Mahone, beginning in September 2017, went on a four-month fraud spree targeting Kmart stores in 11 states. Mahone stole $219,980 in 56 fraudulent transactions using what she claimed were checks from the federal food voucher program, Women, Infants and Children (WIC), a special supplemental nutrition program.  After entering the stores, Mahone used the WIC checks at the teller stations because Kmart does not run them through the check verification process when an individual presents them to the store.

At the end of the day, however, Kmart realized the teller stations were short on money and that Mahone’s checks were fraudulent. By the time Kmart discovered the fraud, Mahone had already received the goods and gift cards and was long gone. Mahone often made multiple transactions at a single store if the scheme was successful.

Law enforcement arrested Mahone after she was at a Kmart in Tolleson, AZ. Mahone possessed various fake driver’s licenses in her purse.

The investigation also uncovered video surveillance images showing Mahone at Kmart stores throughout the country, including in Butte. Mahone also hit Kmarts in Glendive, Helena and Hamilton. Other states involved in the fraud were Wyoming, Idaho, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

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Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme discusses one-year results for Project Safe Neighborhoods Yellowstone County. On display are some of the firearms that have been seized in PSN cases.  

BILLINGS—In the one year that Project Safe Neighborhoods, a federal initiative, has been at work in Yellowstone County, law enforcement has dismantled methamphetamine trafficking rings, seized hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and numerous firearms, and prosecuted more than 200 violent offenders, top federal, state and local prosecutors announced today.

The one-year results show that a steadily growing violent crime rate in Yellowstone County has been almost stopped since PSN went into effect.

U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, Montana Attorney General Tim Fox and Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito discussed the PSN results during a news conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Billings.

PSN is a reinvigorated U.S. Department of Justice initiative that targets the most violent criminals in high-crime areas and works with federal, state and local law enforcement and community partners to reduce crime and to develop a substance abuse treatment and prevention strategy. PSN began operating in Yellowstone County in April 2018.

“The significant increases in violent crime in Yellowstone County have almost stopped because of the hard work of our committed federal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors,” U.S. Attorney Alme said. “Now, to reduce violent crime, we need to continue to get the most dangerous offenders off the street and we need to reduce the demand for meth,” he said.

“The Yellowstone County results of Project Safe Neighborhoods are clear: when it comes to meth and violent crime, enforcement works,” Attorney General Fox said. “The results we have achieved here are due to the commitment and collaboration of federal, state and local law enforcement professionals working in tandem to target the worst offenders and bring them to justice. Our work in Yellowstone County and elsewhere will continue.” he said.

The violent crime rate in Yellowstone County has been increasing every year since 2014. In the 12 months prior to PSN beginning in April 2018, murder, robbery and aggravated assaults had increased almost 26 percent. And in the 12 months before that those crimes had increased by almost 16 percent. In the 12 months since PSN began, the growth in violent crimes has almost stopped, increasing just 1.3 percent.

To date, 170 defendants have been charged with federal meth trafficking, armed robbery and firearms offenses by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

In addition, 245 pounds of meth, representing almost 890,000 doses and an estimated $11 million street value, have been seized. Law enforcement officers also have seized 212 firearms, including 57 semi-automatic assault-style rifles. The U.S. Marshals Service Violent Offender Task force has served 652 federal and state warrants on violent offenders.

Yellowstone County has filed 12 robbery cases and 22 assault with a weapon or aggravated assault charges.

“The Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute these offenders to the fullest extent of the law,” County Attorney Twito said.

PSN will continue its enforcement strategy to drive down the violent crime rate as well as work to reduce demand for meth through the Yellowstone Substance Abuse Connect coalition. The coalition includes 62 nonprofit and governmental organizations working to create a community plan to reduce the demand for meth through prevention and treatment.

PSN Yellowstone County’s partners include the U.S. Attorney’s Office; Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office; Montana Department of Justice’s Prosecution Services Division, Highway Patrol and the Division of Criminal Investigation; the Montana Department of Correction’s Adult Probation and Parole Division; the Billings and Laurel police departments; the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office; Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshal’s Service.

 

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BILLINGS – Shawn Thomas Conrad, a former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employee, admitted during a hearing today to possessing child pornography last year, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Conrad, 48, of Billings, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child porn. Conrad faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided at the hearing and continued Conrad’s release. Sentencing is set for Sept. 6.

In court documents filed in the case, an investigation of Conrad for a child pornography crime began in early August 2018 by the Billings Police Department, which is a member of the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Conrad was employed at the time by the USFWS. Based on the same underlying investigation, Conrad’s supervisor went to Conrad’s home on Aug. 4, 2018 and seized an agency vehicle.  Conrad said his personal hard drive was in the vehicle and asked for the hard drive. The supervisor did not return it. Conrad asked his supervisor again that evening for his hard drive.

The USFWS obtained a search warrant for the hard drive, which was examined. The BPD also served a search warrant at Conrad’s residence and seized a laptop computer, which was examined. Both the hard drive and laptop contained child porn images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, FBI, BPD and USFWS.

 

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On Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day, we draw attention to the horrible acts of violence committed against American Indian and Alaska Native people, particularly women and children.  Too many American Indians and Alaska Natives are the victims of abuse, sexual exploitation, or murder — or are missing from their communities.  Some of those missing may be victims of human trafficking.  We must work together as a Nation to correct these injustices and ensure the safety of all Americans, particularly our most vulnerable populations.

American Indian and Alaska Native people face alarming levels of violence.  Data from the National Institute of Justice and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that more than 1.5 million American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced violence, including sexual violence, in their lifetimes.  American Indian and Alaska Native children attempt and commit suicide at rates far higher than those in any other demographic in our Nation, and often endure disproportionately high rates of endemic drug abuse, violence, and crime.

Ending the violence that disproportionately affects American Indian and Alaska Native communities is imperative.  Under my Administration, Federal agencies are working more comprehensively and more collaboratively to address violent crime in Indian country, to recover the American Indian and Alaska Native women and children who have gone missing, and to find justice for those who have been murdered.  As a result of these ongoing efforts, we are improving public safety, we are expanding funding and training opportunities for law enforcement in Indian country, and we are better equipping them with tools like access to criminal databases.  We have also established improved protocols based on our government-to-government relationships with the tribes, and have become more transparent and accountable in our efforts.

Currently, every United States Attorney’s Office with Indian country jurisdiction has developed sexual assault response and multidisciplinary teams to combat sexual assault and abuse of American Indian and Alaska Native women and children.  In addition, the Attorney General has developed a working group dedicated to addressing violent crime in Indian country.  This working group has made the development of law enforcement strategies for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) a priority, improving human trafficking training and creating law enforcement initiatives for United States Attorneys.

To help address the significant challenges in collecting data regarding missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native people, the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) partnered together to capture tribal data through new data fields in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System.  DOJ has also expanded the Tribal Access Program (TAP) and Amber Alert in Indian country to make law enforcement more aware of missing persons and to enhance their ability to be responsive to missing persons reports and Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) registrants in the area.  TAP also enables tribal law enforcement to have access to national law enforcement databases and to immediately and directly enter missing persons reports into them.  In addition, BIA’s Tribal Justice Support Directorate funds the training of tribal attorneys in prosecuting domestic violence and partner abuse crimes as part of implementing the Violence Against Women Act.

In Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019, DOJ allocated historic amounts of funding to combat violent crime in Indian country, including to the MMIP efforts of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW).  DOJ set aside close to $300 million from the Crime Victim Fund over two years to assist victims of crime in Indian country.  It also expanded the Tribal Special Assistant United States Attorney program, which is aimed at reducing violent crime, including violence against women, in Indian country and building important partnerships between Federal and tribal agencies.  In addition, DOJ funds the National Indian Country Training Initiative (NICTI), which continues to provide training at the National Advocacy Center and in the field for Federal, State, and tribal criminal justice and social service professionals.

My Administration will continue working to root out injustice and protect each and every person in America.  On Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day, we pause to raise awareness of unacceptable acts of violence that profoundly harm American Indian and Alaska Native communities.  As a Nation, we honor the lives of all missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives, and we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that violence against these vulnerable Americans shall not be overlooked or tolerated.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2019, as Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day.  I call upon Americans and all Federal, State, tribal, and local governments to increase awareness of the crisis of missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives through appropriate programs and activities.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-third.

DONALD J. TRUMP

The White House

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MISSOULA—A New York City man arrested in April at a Bozeman shooting range today denied charges that he made false statements to the FBI in a terrorism investigation, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Fabjan Alameti, 21, of the Bronx, who had recently traveled to Bozeman from New York, pleaded not guilty to a four-count indictment charging him with three counts of false statements to a federal officer in a matter involving terrorism and one count of possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of a controlled substance.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch conducted the arraignment and ordered Alameti be detained pending further proceedings. A detention hearing is set for May 15.

If convicted of the most serious crime, Alameti faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Alameti has been in custody since April 3, 2019, when FBI agents arrested him at a shooting range in Bozeman after he allegedly took possession of an M1A firearm he had rented.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Starnes and Trial Attorney Rebecca Magnone, from the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

Pacer case reference. 19-13. Progress of the case may be monitored through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

 

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HELENA — Montana Attorney General Tim Fox and U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme today announced a joint training for local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement and for the public on missing persons databases and alert systems that can help with missing persons cases across the state, particularly those involving Native Americans.

The event, set for June 12 in Helena, will provide a separate session of instruction for law enforcement on accepting and entering a missing person’s report, while a separate session for the public will provide information on the databases and alert systems and training on using the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) program.

"This training will focus on how all of us in Montana’s law enforcement and criminal justice system will work with our federal and tribal partners to find justice for missing indigenous people in our state, and healing for their families and communities,” Attorney General Tim Fox said. “Because of the jurisdictional divisions in Indian Country, local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies must work together. We’re designing this collaborative training specifically for law enforcement, and for tribal government and members of the public, with educational offerings tailored to each of those groups.”

“We are pleased to be working with Attorney General Fox and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to provide this first-ever joint training on missing persons resources for all federal state, local and tribal law enforcement in Montana and for tribal councils and members of the public,” U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said. “By working together with law enforcement and family and friends to better collect information about missing persons, particularly Native Americans, we can help bring more people home.”

Gerald Gray, Chairman of the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians and Chairman of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Leaders Council, said, “There are far too many missing persons in the state of Montana, especially among Montana’s tribes; therefore, the Little Shell are happy to support the efforts being put forth by the Montana Department of Justice and the US Attorney’s Office with regard to the Missing Persons Training that will be taking place.”

The training will feature presenters from a variety of federal and state organizations. Trainers from the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services, NamUs, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, AMBER Alert, and the Montana Department of Justice’s Criminal Justice Information Network, Missing Persons Clearinghouse, Montana Analysis and Technical Information Center, and Office of Victim Services will explain the various databases and alerts, how they work and how law enforcement and the public can use them when someone goes missing.

Lucy Simpson, Director of the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center (NIWRC), has been invited to give the keynote address. “The NIWRC’s main office is located in Lame Deer, and our staff experienced the disappearance and losses of Henny Scott and Hannah Harris directly as members of that community,” Simpson said. “This localized training of national partners signals a step forward to addressing the disproportionate violence that American Indian people face on a daily basis, including a homicide rate on some reservations that is ten times the national average,” Simpson added.

The joint training is sponsored by the Montana Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Montana, and the FBI.

The training will be offered free of charge; POST credits for law enforcement officers are pending. Space is limited to 250 attendees; priority will be given to tribal government representatives and law enforcement. For more information, email dojmmiw@mt.gov or call DOJ’s Office of Victim Services at 1-800-498-6455 or (406) 444-3653. Online registration is available at www.dojmt.gov/mpt.

 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 25 was:

JEREMY AARON SCHULER, 31, of Bellevue, WA, on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Schuler faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. Schuler was detained. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Pacer case reference. 19-54.

HERMAN ELISEO MENENDEZ, 24, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Mendenez faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Menendez was detained. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Pacer case reference. 19-48.

BLAKE ZELON ISGET, 24, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Isget faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Pacer case reference. 19-48.

GUS OLDBEAR, III, 20, of Garryowen, on charges of involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Oldbear faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Oldbear was released pending trial. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-34.

CHRISTIAN DANIEL TAKESENEMY, AKA CHRISTIAN DANIEL YARLOTT, 22, of unknown residence, on charges of theft within Indian Country. If convicted of the most serious crime, Takesenemy faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Takesenemy was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-57.

FRANK BRENT FLYING, SR., 35, of Lame Deer, on charges of assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a spouse, dating or intimate partner. If convicted of the most serious crime, Flying faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Flying was released pending trial. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-30.

SCOT DONALD PETRIE, 61, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy, coercion and enticement and transportation of a person with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. If convicted of the most serious crime, Petrie faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Petrie was released pending trial. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-33.

Appearing on April 22 was:

SHAUN DANIEL NIMOCKS, 41, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Nimocks faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Nimocks was detained. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-35.

SEBASTION JOEL GUETTER, 20, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Guetter faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Guetter was detained. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Billings Police Department. Pacer case reference. 18-129.  

MESKA ANN WHITEMAN, 38, of Lame Deer, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Whiteman faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Whiteman was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-23.

JAMES ALEXANDER LAFORGE, 23, of Lame Deer, on charges of failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, LaForge faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. LaForge was detained. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Pacer case reference. 19-49.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch and pleading not guilty on April 23 was:

CHARLES GIBSON BAILEY, 32, of West Yellowstone, on charges of prohibited person in possession of firearms and ammunition, possession of a destructive device and manufacture of a destructive device. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bailey faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bailey was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Yellowstone Police Department. Pacer case reference. 19-9.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

 

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U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme will join the Drug Enforcement Administration on April 27th for its 17th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. The biannual event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at 35 collection sites across Montana.  The event is an effort to rid homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.

“This is the single most important step we can take in Montana to prevent more opioid abuse,” said U. S. Attorney Alme.  “Prevention is the best cure for addiction,” he said.

 “We know that many first-time abusers of pain killers get them from a friend or relative, including from home medicine cabinets,” said DEA Montana Resident Agent in Charge Stacy Zinn-Brittain.  “We have learned that pill experimentation has begun with our students in our high schools located in both Billings and Laurel,” Zinn-Brittain said.

Rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 91 Americans die each day from an opioid overdose.

Last October Americans turned in 457 tons (900,000 pounds) of prescription drugs at almost 6,000 sites operated by the DEA and more than 4,800 of its state and local law enforcement partners. Montanans turned in 3,470 pounds of pills at the October event.

The disposal service is free and anonymous, no questions asked. (The DEA cannot accept liquids, needles, or sharps, only pills or patches.) Flushing medications down the toilet or throwing them in the trash pose safety and health hazards. This initiative addresses the public safety and public health issues that surround medications languishing in home cabinets, becoming highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse.

For more information or to locate a collection site near you, go the DEA Prescription Drug Take Back Day web site at https://takebackday.dea.gov/#collection-locator where you can search by zip code, city, or state.

 

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch and pleading not guilty on April 16 was:

JUDITH JOHANNA COSSETTE, 66, of Kalispell, on charges of murder for hire. If convicted of the most serious crime, Cossette faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Cossette was released pending trial. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-16.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 18 was:

TYRUS EUGENE BROCKIE, 19, of Hays, on charges of sexual abuse of a minor. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brockie faces a maximum of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to a lifetime of supervised release. Brockie was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-26.

JEREMY DAVIS WING, 40, of Lodgepole, on charges of domestic abuse by habitual offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Wing faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Wing was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-27.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

 

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GREAT FALLS—A California woman was sentenced to 18 months in prison and to two years of supervised release on April 18 after Toole County sheriff’s deputies stopped her for speeding and ultimately found a mustard-covered package of methamphetamine that was hidden a cooler.

Karina Victoria Ruiz-Rosales, 24, of Lancaster, Calif., pleaded guilty earlier to possession with intent to distribute meth.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

An investigation began on Oct. 26, 2015 after Toole County Sheriff’s deputies stopped a Honda Accord with California license plates that Ruiz-Rosales was driving for speeding. Ruiz-Rosales gave a confusing account of why she was driving from Los Angeles, Calif., to Cut Bank, prosecution evidence showed. A deputy could see a blue and white cooler in the vehicle but very little luggage. Ruiz-Rosales provided a Mexican voter registration card but had no valid driver’s license, registration or insurance for the car. Deputies impounded the car.

Later the same day, numerous individuals began showing up at the sheriff’s office to retrieve the Honda, prompting officers to become suspicious because Ruiz-Rosales had said she didn’t know anyone in Cut Bank. Deputies had a drug dog sniff the car and the dog alerted near an area by the driver’s door. Law enforcement got a search warrant for the car but did not find any drugs. Officers also examined the cooler but did not notice anything unusual.

Four days later, deputies got a tip that two pounds of meth were hidden inside the cooler’s insulation. Also, another person from California showed up to retrieve the car. Deputies got another search warrant for the cooler, pried off the inside plastic liner and found a bag of meth covered in mustard. The amount of meth seized weighed about 306.4 grams, which is 0.67 pounds and is the equivalent of about 2,448 doses.

sistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by FBI, Toole County Sheriff’s Department and the Russell Country Drug Task Force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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GREAT FALLS—A California man who admitted supplying prescription pain pills for distribution on the Rocky Boys Indian Reservation was sentenced on April 18 to 92 months in prison and to three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Devon Draper, 45, of Los Angeles, Calif., pleaded guilty earlier to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and to conspiracy to commit money laundering.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

Prosecutors presented evidence of a conspiracy to traffic oxycodone pills on the Rocky Boys Reservation that occurred in 2017 and 2018. In September 2017, Draper and co-defendant, Isaiah Standingrock, were pulled over in a vehicle on the reservation. During a consent search, law enforcement found $22,500 in cash. Officers seized Draper’s phone, got a search warrant for its contents and found information that showed extensive conversations between Draper and Standingrock about the sale of oxycodone on the reservation.

As part of the investigation, Standingrock told investigators in July 2018 that Draper had come to the reservation eight to 10 times since December 2017, had provided about 2,500 prescription pills during that period and had just flown to Los Angeles with about $15,000.  Agents arrested Draper at the Los Angeles airport and seized $14,141 from his bag, including $470 in marked funds from the investigation.

Standingrock pleaded guilty in the case and is awaiting sentencing. A third defendant, Charly McLain Rosette, was sentenced to three years in prison and to three years of supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan McCarthy prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Tri-Agency Task Force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

 

 

 

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BILLINGS—Billings resident Joshua Jock Clause who admitted to trafficking large amounts of methamphetamine and to possessing firearms was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and to five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Clause, 36, pleaded guilty in November to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

A meth investigation beginning in June 2018 led to Clause as a person who was importing large amounts of meth to the Billings area from a California source. Prosecution evidence said an arrest warrant was issued for Clause and law enforcement surveilled his residence. The Billings Police officers pulled over Clause and arrested him on his federal warrant. Officers found he had cash and a cell phone. Agents also executed a search warrant of Clause’s residence and found $17,000 cash, an SKS rifle and a handgun. Officers also found evidence that occupants had been trying to dispose of meth down the toilet.

A confidential informant told agents a few days later that, following Clause’s instruction from jail, the informant went to the house and located about 12 pounds of meth in a cooler outside of the residence that officers had missed during their search. The meth was taken to another person. Twelve pounds of meth is the equivalent of about 43,488 doses.

Another informant admitted to receiving 20 pounds, which is the equivalent of about 72,488 doses, of meth directly from Clause and said that Clause had multiple people selling drugs for him.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI and Billings Police Department.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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GREAT FALLS—A Great Falls man who admitted possessing methamphetamine for redistribution in Butte was sentenced today to 68 months in prison and to four of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Michael Joseph Jacobson, 57, pleaded guilty earlier to possession with intent to distribute meth.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The Russell Country Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations became aware of Jacobson during a 2015 investigation into a meth ring in Great Falls. In April 2017, investigators learned that the ring’s out-of-state supplier had shipped a large amount of meth to Great Falls and that Jacobson was going to meet a co-conspirator to get meth. Agents saw Jacobson meet with the co-conspirator and stopped his vehicle after the meeting. During a search of Jacobson’s vehicle, agents found numerous cell phones and $8,000 in two wallets seized from Jacobson. Agents also told Jacobson to remove meth they had seen him insert into his person. Meth seized from Jacobson totaled about 17.5 grams, which is about 140 doses. The investigation also determined that Jacobson typically picked up meth in Great Falls for redistribution in Butte.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Betley prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Russell Country Drug Task Force and HSI.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

 

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BILLINGS—A Glendive man who admitted drug and firearm crimes after law enforcement found more than a pound of methamphetamine in his hotel room was sentenced on Tuesday to 12 years in prison and to five years of supervised release, said U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.

John Allen Wagner, 40, pleaded guilty in November to possession with intent to distribute meth and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

Law enforcement arrested Wagner after Billings Police officers responded to a complaint call at a downtown Billings hotel on April 21, 2018. When no one answered the door at the room referred to in the complaint, a staff member entered followed by the officers, who saw drug paraphernalia. About that time, Wagner, who was staying in the room, came walking down the hall. Officers asked Wagner to stop, but he ran. Officers chased and eventually caught Wagner. After getting a search warrant, law enforcement found more than 500 grams, or a little more than pound, of meth in Wagner’s hotel room and a handgun in his vehicle. A pound of meth is the equivalent of about 3,624 doses.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by FBI task force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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MISSOULA—West Yellowstone resident Ann Bennett Hermanson was sentenced today to five years of probation and ordered to pay $479,730 restitution for embezzling from her employer over a seven-year period, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Hermanson, 54, pleaded earlier to wire fraud.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

Prosecution evidence showed that Hermanson worked for 15 years as a para-professional in the West Yellowstone office of a regional accounting and business services company. As a para-professional, Hermanson had access to bank account information and signature stamps for the company’s customers.

Starting in 2009 and continuing until April 2016, Hermanson embezzled about $630,327.88 from several accounts belonging to the company’s customers. She has repaid some of the money.

The thefts were discovered in April 2016 when a customer reported irregularities in her business account to the company’s corporate office.

 Hermanson embezzled funds by writing checks to herself for personal credit card expenses and other bills and using customers’ signature stamps to sign the checks. She also obtained a duplicate credit card for one victim’s account and used it to make unauthorized purchases.

When approached by a company employee in April 2016 about suspicious transactions, Hermanson admitted to embezzling money. She also admitted the thefts to an FBI agent and identified five business accounts from which she stole money.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Racicot is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

 

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GREAT FALLS—Three former employees who had management positions with the Blackfeet Tribe’s Head Start Program were sentenced on April 11 to months in prison for their roles in an overtime pay scheme that defrauded the children’s assistance program of an estimated $174,000, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided at the sentencings for Theresa Marie Calf Boss Ribs, 51, of Browning, Patrick H. Calf Boss Ribs, Jr., 44, of Heart Butte, and Denise L. Sharp, 60, of Browning. 

The three defendants each pleaded guilty earlier to theft from an Indian tribal government receiving federal funding and to wire fraud.

Morris sentenced Theresa Marie Calf Boss Ribs, who was the payroll manager, to 8 months in prison, two years of supervised release and ordered $139,096 in restitution.

Morris sentenced Patrick H. Calf Boss Ribs, Jr., who was the nutrition manager/payroll clerk, to 9 months in prison, two years of supervised release and ordered $139,096 in restitution and a $25,122 forfeiture.

Morris sentenced Sharp, who was the personnel manager, to nine months in prison, two years of supervised release and ordered $139,096 in restitution and a $29,033 forfeiture.

U.S. Attorney Alme said, “I hope that the sentencings of three former managers of the Blackfeet Head Start program will deter others from stealing from federally funds intended to help tribal members. The theft of $174,000 hurt the children enrolled in Head Start by prohibiting the purchase of books, barring the ability to obtain teaching materials and cutting food nutrition programs for those who need it most. We will continue to prosecute these cases to ensure that federal funds are used for the needs of those intended.”

The Blackfeet Tribe operates the Head Start Program with funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Head Start provides early childhood education and other services for low-income children and their families.

During a 15-month period, starting in April 2013, the defendants and others falsely claimed 5,850 hours of overtime and received more than $174,000 in overtime pay from the Head Start program. When the fraud was uncovered, two different firms audited the Blackfeet Head Start program. Both audits questioned the overtime claims, identifying them as “beyond necessary and reasonable” and lacking any supporting documentation.

The Blackfeet Tribe did its own internal review, agreed it could not justify the overtime claims and repaid HHS $250,620.29 for disallowed costs and other expenses.

After an on-site review of the program by government authorities from Washington, D.C., the defendants along with others met in a conference room. Despite not actually working the hours, everyone present in the room agreed to continue claiming overtime.

Theresa Calf Boss Ribs and Patrick H. Calf Boss Ribs, Jr. were in charge of monitoring the time cards. At the end of the pay period, individuals in the group would stop by to sign their time cards for the pay period. The time cards were already completed by the defendants and included false overtime hours.

Other Head Start workers told investigators they never saw Blackfeet Head Start personnel working late nights or on weekends. The program’s board chairman was unaware of the overtime claims and was unaware of any needs that would have justified the overtime claims by the defendants. Because of insufficient funds, he also had to identify necessary budget cuts.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General.

 

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 11 was:

JOSEPH MATTHEW BALLANTYNE, 60, on charges of failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted of the most serious charge, Ballantyne faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Ballantyne was detained. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Pacer case reference. 19-42.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 11 was:

JAMES SNELL, 42, of Fort Belknap, on a 14-count indictment charging him with abusive sexual contact, sexual exploitation of a child and aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted of the most serious crime, Snell faces a minimum mandatory 30 years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and from five years to life of supervised release. Snell was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-20.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch and pleading not guilty on April 9 was:

GREGORY GEORGE DENNY, 46, of Great Falls, on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Denny faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and five years of supervised release. Denny was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations. Pacer case reference. 18-24.

KENNETH SKUNKCAP, 62, of Browning, on charges of assault resulting in substantial injury to dating partner. If convicted of the most serious crime, Skunkcap faces a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Skunkcap was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-22.

MARLIN LAYNE BULL CALF, 21, of Browning, on charges of strangulation. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bull Calf faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bull Calf was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Pacer case reference. 19-21.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch and pleading not guilty on April 8 was:

JENNIFER LYNN FOLEY, 32, of Missoula, on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm during drug trafficking crime. Foley was detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Foley faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and a minimum five years of supervised release. Pacer case reference. 19-20.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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MISSOULA—Flathead County resident Bruce Boone Wann was sentenced to four years in prison and three years of supervised release today after he admitted to illegally possessing a machine gun and other weapons crimes, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Wann, 62, of Kila, pleaded guilty in December to illegally possessing a machine gun, an unregistered silencer, a short barreled rifle and a destructive device, specifically, a grenade.

Chief U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.

Prosecution evidence showed that during an investigation that began in June, law enforcement learned that Wann had kept buried or hidden firearms, ammunition, a grenade, dynamite, and other items on various properties in the Marion area. Wann claimed he had stolen some of the items from a government bunker in California many years earlier.

Wann later broke into a Flathead County residence where he had previously arranged for a number of his other firearms to be stored. Wann then took not only his firearms, but also stole other firearms that did not belong to him. Investigators also learned Wann had made various threats of violence against people in Flathead County.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Elliott and Taryn Meeks, a trial attorney with the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, prosecuted the case. The case was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Secret Service and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office.

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HELENA—A federal judge today sentenced a man and two women convicted of robbery and firearms charges stemming from a drug-related home invasion, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Gabriel Elijah Kane Arkinson, 32, of Billings, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release, while Jaime Nicole Milsten, 35, of East Helena, was sentenced to 10 years and five months in prison and five years of supervised release.  A jury in October found both defendants guilty of of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting commerce, robbery affecting commerce and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

A third defendant, Melissa Dawn Shurtliff, 28, of Helena, was sentenced to seven years and nine months in prison and five years of supervised release. Shurtliff pleaded guilty to robbery affecting commerce and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Senior U.S. District Judge Charles C. Lovell presided.

Prosecutors at trial presented evidence that Arkinson and Milsten entered the residence of a Helena drug dealer on April 23, 2017 to steal drugs and drug proceeds. Arkinson was armed with a sawed-off shotgun, and Milsten searched the residence for drugs and money. A small amount of methamphetamine, U.S. currency and a cell phone were stolen. Shurtliff planned the robbery and acted as the getaway driver.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Bartleson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI and Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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BILLINGS – Billings resident Chad Allen Beres admitted methamphetamine trafficking and firearm crimes during a hearing today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Beres, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Beres faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug counts. He also faces a mandatory consecutive five years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release on the firearm count.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided and will recommend Beres plea be accepted by U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters, who is hearing the case. Beres is detained.

In a court document filed in the case, the prosecution said evidence would show that Billings Police Department officers arrested co-defendant Christopher Hurst at a hotel on Feb. 27, 2018. During a search of the room, officers found meth and a firearm. Hurst admitted receiving from four to eight ounces of meth nearly every day from his suppliers and that he had received at least 15 pounds of meth that he distributed.

Agents identified Beres as a supplier of Hurst’s and also learned that co-defendant Larry Barnett also got meth from Beres. Agents served a search warrant on Beres’ residence and seized about 700 grams of meth, which is about 1.5 pounds and the equivalent of about 5,600 doses. Agents also seized three shotguns and two handguns.

Hurst and Barnett have pleaded guilty to charges and are awaiting sentencing. A fourth co-defendant, Maurice Fregia, has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the FBI and BPD.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

 

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BILLINGS—A Billings woman who admitted possessing meth for distribution was sentenced on April 4 to four years in prison and four years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Leah Summer Garcia, 41, pleaded guilty earlier to possession with intent to distribute meth.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

On April 19, 2018, Garcia, who was on state probation, was arrested on two outstanding warrants while she was at the jail visiting an inmate, prosecutors said in court records. In a search of the vehicle Garcia drove to the jail, law enforcement found an ounce of meth, which is the equivalent of about 224 doses. Garcia had been linked through drug-related text messages to others in an ongoing drug investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the FBI task force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

GREAT FALLS – Great Falls resident Lothar Konrad Krauth on Monday admitted he received child pornography after an investigation found thousands of images on his computer and electronic storage devices, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Krauth, 81, pleaded guilty to receipt of child porn as charged in an indictment. Krauth faces a minimum mandatory five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. Judge Morris set sentencing for July 18 and continued Krauth’s release.

The prosecution said in court records that on Oct. 10, 2018, agents from the Homeland Security Investigations team in Great Falls received a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). The organization reported that the user of an internet provider address in Great Falls had uploaded an image of a nude prepubescent male. The address was identified as having been assigned to Krauth.

HSI agents and Great Falls police officers served a search warrant at Krauth’s residence on Oct. 26, 2018 and seized about 20 items of electronic media, including a desktop computer, nine external hard drives, six thumb drives and other items. Investigators then obtained a warrant to search all of the seized electronic media.

A forensic examination of Krauth’s desktop computer found about 400 images of child porn, while a subsequent analysis found thousands of child porn images. The majority of the child porn images depicted prepubescent children.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bartleson and Cyndee Peterson prosecuted the case, which was investigated by HSI and the Great Falls Police Department.

 

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MISSOULA—A Missoula couple and their accountant on Thursday denied federal charges accusing them of conspiring to defraud the federal government by skimming money from two businesses and failing to report that income on tax returns, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Joseph Mark Baumgardner, 55, his wife, Traci Janelle Baumgardner, 48, both of Missoula, and their accountant, Daniel Brian Burke, 62, of Florence, pleaded not guilty to a 13-count indictment. The indictment charges all three with conspiracy to defraud the United States, subscribing to a false document and aiding and assisting the subscribing to a false document.

If convicted of the most serious crime, the defendants face a maximum five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

The indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch presided. He continued the release of all defendants pending trial.

The indictment alleges that the Baumgardners, with Burke’s assistance, filed false tax returns for the years 2011 through 2013 for their two businesses, which are Splash Car Wash and Pro Sweep Plus. During the period, the two businesses earned gross receipts totaling $5,001,374 while the total tax paid over the same time period was $10,066.

Splash Car Wash operated two car washes, one in Hamilton and one in Missoula. Pro Sweep Plus is an industrial maintenance company. Both companies are based in Missoula.

Burke, a certified public accountant who owned and operated Burke and Company, P.C., prepared the Baumgardners’ tax returns.

The Baumgardners’ elected to have their companies taxed as flow-through entities, which are known as S Corporations. Corporate income and expenses are reported to the IRS, with the information ultimately flowing to the individual income tax returns.

The indictment alleges the Baumgardners skimmed cash from Splash Car Wash in 2012 and 2013, and with Burke’s assistance, did not report the skimmed cash on their corporate tax returns and, consequently, on their individual tax returns.

In addition, the indictment alleges the couple, with Burke’s help, inappropriately deducted personal expenses on their corporate tax returns for the two companies, and, consequently on their individual tax returns.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Weldon is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the IRS.  

Pacer case reference. 19-14.

The case may be monitored through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

 

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BILLINGS—Laurel resident Jefferson Scott Perrigo, who admitted meth trafficking and firearms crimes, was sentenced on Thursday to 17 years in prison and five years of supervised release after agents found about 12.5 pounds of meth in his vehicle and a storage unit, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Perrigo, 45, pleaded guilty earlier to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. There was no plea agreement.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.

Prosecutors said evidence showed that drug task force officers learned in the fall of 2017 from an informant and Crime Stoppers reports that Perrigo was distributing meth in Billings. The investigation involved using a confidential informant to make controlled meth buys from an associate of Perrigo’s known to deal meth for him and placing tracking devices on vehicles of both Perrigo and his associate. The vehicles frequented a storage unit in Billings. After getting a search warrant for Perrigo’s vehicle and the storage unit, agents found a semi-automatic handgun in a backpack, body armor and three packages of meth totaling about 2.5 pounds in the vehicle and 10 packages of meth, each weighing about a pound, in the storage unit. The amount of meth seized is the equivalent of about 45,359 doses.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassady Adams and Lori Suek prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the FBI’s Big Sky Western Transnational Organized Crime Task Force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on April 5 was:

MONWELL DWIGHT BOOTH, 38, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Booth faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 19-27.

KATRINA MARIE BOLEJACK, 24, of Billings, and DAVID ANDREW MEYERS, 24, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bolejack and Meyers face a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Bolejack and Meyers were detained. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, the FBI and Billings Police Department. Pacer case reference. 19-26.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 2 was:

TANIA LONGTIN, 35, and JAMIE ALAN CORDELL, 45, both of Wyoming, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and distribution of meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Longtin and Cordell face a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $4 million fine and five years of supervised release. Longtin and Cordell were detained. The case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Pacer case reference. 07-69.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

 

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BILLINGS—To celebrate National Crime Victim’s Rights Week from April 7 to 13, there will be a free barbecue lunch and entertainment at the Yellowstone County Courthouse Lawn on April 12, U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. The event will run from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Speakers at the event will include U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme, Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito, Yellowstone County Sheriff Mike Linder, Billings Police Chief Rich St. John, Billings City Attorney Brent Brooks and Big Horn County Commissioner Sidney Fitzpatrick.

Crime Victims’ Rights Week challenges the nation to confront and remove barriers to full justice for all victims of crime. Each April, the Department of Justice and U.S. Attorneys’ offices observe National Crime Victims’ Rights Week nationwide by honoring victims of crime and those who advocate on their behalf. The Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime, within the Office of Justice Programs, leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights week each year. 

The BBQ event will recognize men and women who have gone above and beyond to help the community. The theme for this year’s celebration is, “Honoring our Past. Creating Hope for the Future.” For more information, visit https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw2019/overview.html.

The Crime Victim’s Rights Week barbecue is being sponsored by the Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office Victim Specialist, the Yellowstone County Attorney’s Office Victim/Witness Program, the Billings City Attorney’s Office Victim Specialists, FBI Victim Specialists, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Victim Specialist and the YWCA of Billings.

 

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MISSOULA—A man who was arrested at a Bozeman shooting range on Wednesday after having recently traveled to Montana from New York appeared in court today on false statement and firearm charges. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme for the District of Montana and Special Agent in Charge Paul Haertel of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.

Fabjan Alameti, 21, had an initial appearance on a criminal complaint before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah C. Lynch. The complaint charges Alameti with possession of a firearm by unlawful user of a controlled substance and with making false statements involving international terrorism.

Court documents filed in the case said law enforcement officers arrested Alameti without incident at a Bozeman shooting range. Alameti was taken into custody after he allegedly took possession of an M1A firearm he had rented.

“Fabjan Alameti recently moved to Bozeman from another state,” said Paul Haertel, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office. “We want to make it absolutely clear that Mr. Alameti has no known ties to Montana or any affiliation with the Muslim community in Bozeman,” he said.

The complaint is merely an accusation and Alameti is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If convicted of the most serious crime, Alameti faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release.

Judge Lynch ordered Alameti be detained. Alameti reserved his right to request a detention hearing at later date.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Starnes and Trial Attorney Rebecca Magnone, from National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, are prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI.

Pacer case reference. 19-mj-0029. The case may be followed through the U.S. District court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

 

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BILLINGS—A Belgrade man who admitted lying when he bought a semi-automatic pistol in Livingston was sentenced today to nine months of time served and one year of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Stacey James Wondra, 26, pleaded guilty on Dec. 6 to false statement during firearms transaction.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.

Prosecutors said evidence showed that Wondra was charged in Gallatin County in December 2017 with felony burglary and was released on conditions, including he not possess a firearm. On March 14, 2018, Wondra bought a 9mm semi-automatic pistol at a pawn shop in Livingston. On the paperwork for the transaction, Wondra answered “no” to whether he was under indictment or information for any felony charges. Wondra’s answer deceived the firearms dealer about his legal status for buying a firearm.

Five days later, Livingston police responded to a report of a person being held captive with a gun at a motel. Wondra and another person were hanging out at the motel and others confirmed that the pair had been handling the 9mm pistol throughout the weekend. The two got into an argument in the motel room, prompting law enforcement’s initial response. Wondra told officers he had purchased the gun a few days earlier, and the gun was found during a search of the room. Wondra then went back to the pawn shop that same day and pawned the gun he had purchased five days earlier.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

 

 

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BILLINGS—An Arizona man who repeatedly brought pound loads of methamphetamine to Billings for distribution was sentenced today to nine years in prison and five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Wilfrido Varelas-Rubio, 24, of Glendale, AZ, pleaded guilty earlier to possession with intent to distribute meth.

U.S. District Judge Susan Watters presided.

In April 2018, law enforcement drug task agents began investigating a meth trafficking conspiracy that was bringing large quantities of the drug to the Billings area, prosecution evidence showed. Agents learned from a variety sources that Varelas-Rubio led the conspiracy and repeatedly brought meth to the community. On June 15, 2018, agents were notified that Varelas-Rubio was in town, selling meth and staying at a hotel.

Investigators got a search warrant for Varelas-Rubio’s room and found him there. A search turned up 14 ounces of individually wrapped meth, $6,800 cash, four cell phones and a storage unit code. Varelas-Rubio was taken to the Yellowstone County Detention Facility as agents went to a storage unit, where Varelas-Rubio had rented a secured parking space. Officers seized a Buick Lucerne that was in the space and searched it after getting another warrant. Agents found about 3.5 pounds of meth in a sophisticated concealment compartment. Lab tests determined that all of the meth seized in the case was substantially pure. The total amount of meth seized was the equivalent of about 15,600 doses.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and FBI.

The  case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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BILLINGS—Billings resident Alexander Greybull, who admitted drug trafficking and firearms crimes, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release after law enforcement found methamphetamine, cocaine and a gun in a 2017 traffic stop of a vehicle Greybull was driving, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Greybull, 31, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to five felonies, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. There was no plea agreement.

U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. Judge Watters also ordered the forfeiture of $1,240 cash and a 9 mm handgun.

Prosecution evidence showed that Billings Police officers arrested Greybull after a traffic stop on May 21, 2017. Greybull, the driver, said he didn’t have his driver’s license on him and refused to give the officer his name or birth date. The officer asked Greybull to get out of the car. During a pat down, the officer felt a bag, which contained meth, in Greybull’s pocket.

Greybull still refused to provide his name was arrested for obstruction. The officer also found about $2,000 on Greybull and several “burner” phones near the front driver’s seat. Another officer spoke with a passenger and saw Greybull’s identification on the front seat in plain view. Officers called in a K-9 officer and the dog alerted on the vehicle. After getting a warrant to search the car, officer found several containers of meth, including in a small safe that was in the trunk, cocaine, a 9mm handgun with six ammunition cartridges and a 9mm hollow point cartridge. Drugs seized totaled about 673 grams of meth, which is nearly 1.5 pounds and the equivalent of about 5,600 doses, and 26 grams of cocaine, which is about 208 doses.

A search of the phones found in the vehicle indicated Greybull’s involvement in selling illegal drugs.

Greybull, who has two prior state felony convictions--for possession of dangerous drugs and for aggravated assault--was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.  

Greybull also has three pending felony charges in state District Court in Yellowstone County, where he is charged with assault with a weapon, aggravating kidnapping and aggravated assault in the alleged beating of a woman and kidnapping of her and her children.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Dake prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.

The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges and indictments handed down by the Grand Jury were unsealed. Indictments are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on March 25 was:

DYLAN BLAKE LAPLANT, 21, of Arlee, on charges of distribution of child pornography and receipt of child pornography. LaPlant is detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, LaPlant faces a five years to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. The FBI investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-13.

ISSAC ELIAS SAENZ, 27, of Box Elder, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Saenz is detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Saenz faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. The FBI and Tri-Agency Drug Task Force investigated the case. Pacer case reference. 19-18.

JOSE DANIEL LOZOYA-CAMACHO, 25, of Mexico, on charges of illegal re-entry of a deported alien. Lozoya-Camacho is detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lozoya-Camaco faces a maximum two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol. Pacer case reference. 19-14.

LUIS RAUL LOZOYA-CAMACHO, 29, of Mexico, on charges of illegal re-entry of a deported alien. Lozoya-Camacho is detained. If convicted of the most serious crime, Lozoya-Camacho faces a maximum two years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol. Pacer case reference. 19-14.

Appearing on March 28 was:

LAWRENCE MATTHEW BRASDA, 27, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Brasda faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Pacer case reference. 17-47.

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on March 26 was:

JACK PRESTON COVERSUP, 56, of Moiese, on charges of sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact. If convicted of the most serious crime, Coversup faces a maximum life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Coversup was released pending trial. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-15.

CAMERON RIDESTHEHORSE, 35, of Lodge Grass, on charges of failure to register as a sexual offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ridesthehorse faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Ridesthehorse was detained. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Pacer case reference. 19-37.

Appearing in Billings for an initial hearing on a complaint before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan on March 26 was:

JEREMY AARON SCHULER, 31, of Bellevue, WA, on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. If convicted of the most serious crime, Schuler faces a minimum mandatory five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Pacer case reference. 19-29.

Appearing in Billings and pleading not guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan on March 27 was:

FRANKLIN NORTON, 41, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Norton faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and five years of supervised release. Norton was detained. The case was investigated by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force. Pacer case reference. 19-35.

Appearing on March 28 was:

DANA BEARROBE, 39, of Busby, on charges of failure to register as a sex offender. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bearrobe faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Pacer case reference. 19-38.

DANIEL MARK TANNER, 32, of Cut Bank, on charges of abusive sexual contact. If convicted of the most serious crime, Tanner faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release. He was detained. The case was investigated by the FBI. Pacer case reference. 19-19.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

 

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following person had an initial appearance today in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Jeremiah C. Lynch on a criminal complaint. Criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

CHARLES GIBSON BAILEY, 32, of West Yellowstone, on charges of possession of a firearm by a person who is subject to a court order that restrains such person from harassing, stalking or threatening an intimate partner of such person. If convicted of the most serious crime, Bailey faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Bailey was detained. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the West Yellowstone Police Department. Pacer case reference. 19-26-m-JCL.

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

 

 

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