Brocktin James Russo Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court
| U.S. Attorney’s Office November 22, 2010 |
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on November 22, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, BROCKTIN JAMES RUSSO, a 20-year-old resident of Tooele, Utah, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. Sentencing has been set for February 28, 2011. He is currently detained.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Carroll, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
On May 17, 2009, RUSSO possessed and provided cocaine to Cory Michael Louden and Derek Gene Sherlock. Louden and Sherlock were then arrested after they went to a store in Great Falls with approximately 1.5 ounces of cocaine to sell to an undercover officer. When interviewed, Louden and Sherlock indicated that they were selling the cocaine for RUSSO.
RUSSO face possible penalties of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and three years’ supervised release.
Louden and Sherlock pled guilty to federal charges and are awaiting sentencing.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Great Falls Police Department, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, and the Great Falls High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force (Central Montana Drug Task Force).