Information: Federal Court Arraignments

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that those persons listed below were arraigned before the U.S. Magistrate and the indictments handed down by the Grand Jury unsealed.

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Cavan in Billings on August 17, 2017 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• MICHAEL SHANE DILLER, a 23-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, DILLER faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines, and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  PACER Case Reference.  17-91

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Cavan in Billings on August 14, 2017 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• TIMOTHY SCOTT BISHOP, a 44-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, BISHOP faces 20 years in prison, $1,000,000 in fines, and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the FBI Task Force.  PACER Case Reference.  17-88

• CRYSTAL DAWN SIMPSON, a 33-year-old resident of Grass Range, appeared on charges of conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, SIMPSON faces 20 years in prison, $1,000,000 in fines, and 4 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Land Management.  PACER Case Reference.  17-97

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Cavan in Billings on August 7, 2017 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• AUTUMN FAITH CANNADAY, a 30-year-old resident of Wibaux, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, CANNADAY faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Montana Highway Patrol.  PACER Case Reference.  17-38

• ANDREW MICHAEL GINN, a 37-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, GINN faces 20 years in prison, $1,000,000 in fines, and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the FBI Task Force.  PACER Case Reference.  17-94

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Cavan in Billings on August 3, 2017 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• ETHAN ROBERT CORD ESSER, a 25-year-old resident of Colstrip, appeared on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, ESSER faces life in prison, $5,000,000 in fines, and 4 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  PACER Case Reference.  17-92

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls on August 3 27, 2017 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

• MICHELLE ANDRA JOYNER, a 45-year-old resident of Cascade, appeared on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, and receipt of child pornography.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, JOYNER faces 30 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, and lifetime supervised release.  The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.  PACER Case Reference.  17-57

• TIMOTHY ALLEN WEAVER, a 35-year-old resident of Cascade, appeared on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, and receipt of child pornography.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, WEAVER faces 30 years in prison, $250,000 in fines, and lifetime supervised release.  The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.  PACER Case Reference.  17-57

If any of the above cases are of interest to your media organization and the community it serves, we encourage you to monitor the progress of the case regularly through the U.S. District Court calendar and the PACER system so that you stay current and not miss any important developments in the case.

To establish a PACER account, which will allow you to review documents filed in the case, please go to, http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the district court’s calendar, please go to https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.