Last of Greeley-Area Criminals Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearms and Drug Crimes

DENVER—The ATF led Greeley RAGE Task Force (Regional Anti-Gang Enforcement), including the Greeley Police Department and the FBI, announced the sentencing of Terry Margheim, the last of the 31 defendants charged for gun and drug crimes in Greeley. Margheim was sentenced to serve 132 months in federal prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of an unregistered sawed-off shotgun, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and aiding and abetting the sale of methamphetamine. The sentence was imposed by U.S. Circuit Judge David M. Ebel. The defendant appeared in court in custody and was remanded at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing.

Margheim and 30 other co-defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury on June 10, 2010. He was charged in a superseding indictment on August 11, 2010. An information was filed on March 5, 2012, to establish Margheim’s prior drug convictions. He was convicted following a two-day trial to the court on May 16, 2012. He was sentenced by Judge Ebel on November 1, 2012.

The 31 Greeley-area criminals were sentenced to a combined 153 years in federal prison (over 1,750 months).

According to the facts presented in trial, as well as the facts contained in the government’s sentencing statement, it was established that on July 23, 2009, the defendant possessed a handgun after he was convicted of a felony. Further, Margheim aided and abetted the sale of methamphetamine in two controlled purchases. Margheim also sold a sawed-off shotgun to an undercover ATF agent.

“The key factor in the success of this operation was the strong partnership between the Greeley Police Department, the ATF, and the FBI,” said U.S. Attorney John Walsh. “The public should be proud of the strong joint law enforcement effort by these agencies that has made Northern Colorado a safer place to live.”

“ATF is extremely pleased with the sentences handed down as a result of this entire investigation,” said Denver ATF Special Agent in Charge Andrew Traver. “Our goal was to have a positive impact on the quality of life in Greeley and Northern Colorado. By removing violent drug offenders from these communities, we are accomplishing this.”

These cases were investigated by the Greeley RAGE Task Force, which included the Greeley Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The task force is in direct partnership with the Weld County District Attorney’s Office.

The defendants were prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kasandra Carleton and M.J. Menendez.