Raymond Eugene Powell Sentenced in U.S. District Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Missoula on May 5, 2011, before U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy, RAYMOND EUGENE POWELL, a 31-year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared for sentencing. POWELL was sentenced to a term of:

Prison: 125 monthsSpecial Assessment: $100Supervised Release: eight years

POWELL was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

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 January 2009 and ending in July 2009, POWELL and other individuals purchased and distributed in excess of 500 grams of cocaine throughout Missoula, Cascade, and Flathead Counties.

Five confidential sources (CS) would have testified as follows:

CS #1 sold approximately seven ounces of cocaine to POWELL;

CS #2 went to Washington at the request of POWELL on two occasions and purchased nine ounces of cocaine, and six ounces of cocaine respectively—the first nine ounce purchase was "cut" and made into 16 ounces for redistribution and the cocaine was paid for and delivered to POWELL;

CS #3 observed POWELL purchase approximately two ounces of cocaine from a source of supply in Missoula and that the CS became aware of an additional 10 ounces that were purchased from this same source of supply;

CS #4 would have testified that s/he purchased cocaine from POWELL approximately 10-20 times, usually in gram quantities; and,

CS #5 would have testified that s/he purchased .5 to 1 grams of cocaine from POWELL 50-80 times.

Law Enforcement witnesses would have testified that a controlled purchase by an undercover agent resulted in the purchase of 3.3 grams of cocaine from POWELL on February 20, 2009.

Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that POWELL will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, POWELL does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15 percent of the overall sentence.

The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation.