Travis Lee Hess Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

The United States Attorney's Office announced that during a federal court session in Great Falls, on November 30, 2010, before U.S. District Judge Sam E. Haddon, TRAVIS LEE HESS, a 29-year-old resident of Great Falls, pled guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine/aiding and abetting. Sentencing has been set for March 7, 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:

Sometime before December 12, 2009, an undercover agent with the Montana Department of Criminal Investigation (MDCI) was able to set up a deal whereby he would purchase approximately four ounces of cocaine from an individual from Utah.

On December 12, 2009, an individual traveled from Utah to Great Falls with approximately four ounces of cocaine. Once the individual arrived in Great Falls with the cocaine and because he was not familiar with the area, arrangements were made for HESS to drive with the individual to the parking lot of the mall, where the cocaine would be sold to the undercover agent. HESS drove with the individual with the cocaine to the mall parking lot where the undercover agent purchased approximately four ounces of cocaine from the individual. The undercover agent paid $4,400 for the four ounces of cocaine.

HESS faces possible penalties of 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and three years' supervised release.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, the Great Falls Police Department, and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations.