Larry Eugene Green, Jr. Pleads Guilty in U.S. Federal Court

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that during a federal court session in Billings, on October 25, 2012, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, Larry Eugene Green, Jr., a 26-year-old resident of Billings, pled guilty to assault on a federal officer, conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with intent to distribute and distribute, and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Sentencing has been set for January 25, 2012. He is currently detained.

In an offer of proof filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica T. Fehr, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:

On June 5, 2012, members of the United States Marshals Montana Violent Offenders Task Force were in the process of executing an arrest of Green with a valid arrest warrant, when Green was seen driving a silver Chevrolet Malibu. Green attempted to run away as members of the task force attempted to box in his car to execute the arrest. Green accelerated his car and struck a Deputy United States Marshal’s government vehicle, a black Dodge Charger, in the area around the driver’s side door, while a Deputy United States Marshal was operating the vehicle. Green struck the vehicle in an attempt to inflict harm to stop his apprehension by law enforcement.

Green exited the vehicle on foot and members of the task force engaged in a foot pursuit. Green was apprehended following the foot pursuit and arrested. A firearm was recovered in the floorboard area of Green’s vehicle on the driver’s side. Approximately 11 grams of suspected methamphetamine was recovered on Green’s person.

A search warrant for Green’s vehicle was applied for and executed by law enforcement. The search yielded approximately 370 grams of suspected cocaine, approximately 156 grams of suspected methamphetamine, approximately five grams of suspected marijuana, and 19 suspected ecstasy tablets. The suspected methamphetamine and suspected cocaine tested positive for the listed compounds using a presumptive field test. A second firearm was also located in the vehicle.

Following the assault on the Deputy U.S. Marshal and the search of Green’s car, law enforcement discovered that Green was part of a larger methamphetamine distribution organization in Yellowstone County. The investigation uncovered that from January 2010 to June 2012, Green conspired with others to receive and distribute over 500 grams of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine in Yellowstone County.

Additionally, law enforcement learned that during the course of his involvement in the methamphetamine conspiracy Green carried a firearm for personal protection and the protection of his drugs, specifically a Phoenix Arms .22 caliber semi-automatic.

Green faces possible penalties of a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and could be sentenced to life, a $10,000,000 fine, and five years’ supervised release. In addition, Green faces an additional mandatory five year imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence, for the use or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

The investigation was conducted by the United States Marshals Montana Violent Offenders Task Force and the Billings Big Sky Safe Streets Task Force.