Pamela Hunt Sentenced in U.S. District Court
| U.S. Attorney’s Office October 21, 2011 |
The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on October 21, 2011, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, PAMELA HUNT, a 47-year-old resident of Billings, appeared for sentencing. HUNT was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 53 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Supervised Release: five years
HUNT was sentenced in connection with her guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine.
In an Offer of Proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara J. Elliott, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
Beginning in approximately August 2010, and continuing until approximately November 2010, HUNT and several other individuals, knowingly and unlawfully conspired with each other, and others, to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine throughout Yellowstone County. In November 2010, law enforcement officers learned that HUNT was involved in the sale of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement officers would have testified that they arranged a controlled drug purchase at HUNT’s residence using a confidential informant. The informant planned to receive two ounces of methamphetamine from HUNT’s co-conspirator, A.T.. The informant verified with HUNT that HUNT’s residence would be the location of the sale, and that HUNT agreed to have both A.T. and the informant use her residence for the sale of methamphetamine. The informant purchased two ounces of methamphetamine from A.T. at HUNT’s residence on November 12, 2010.
Law enforcement officers would also have testified that on November 16, 2010, they executed a search warrant at HUNT’s residence. A detailed drug ledger was located in the residence.
During an interview conducted with law enforcement officers after the search, HUNT admitted to purchasing and selling methamphetamine. HUNT stated that she had made purchases from A.T. and others. HUNT also admitted to buying one or two ounces of methamphetamine every couple of days from about August 2010 to November 2010. HUNT admitted to selling approximately two ounces per day from November 1, 2010, to November 16, 2010.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the “truth in sentencing” guidelines mandate that HUNT will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, HUNT does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for “good behavior.” However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force.