Skip to main content
Press Release

Information: Federal Court Arraignments

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana

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 Ostby in Billings on April 6, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • FRANK E. BARNES, a 35-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, BARNES 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.  PACER Case Reference. 16-25
  • DARRELL DUANE BAUMGARTNER, a 43-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, BAUMGARTNER faces 40 years in prison, $5,000,000 in fines and 4 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the FBI Task Force.  PACER Case Reference.  16-31
  • ROPER RAY BLANKENSHIP, a 22-year-old resident of Miles City, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, BLANKENSHIP faces life in prison, $5,000,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  PACER Case Reference.  16-07
  • DERRICK LEE DEAN MOORE, a 31-year-old resident of Cartwright, North Dakota, appeared on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm by a person under a domestic order.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, MOORE faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and 3years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  PACER Case Reference.  16-17

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings on April 5, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • ANTJUAN MARIO BROWN, a 44-year-old transient, appeared on charges of failure to register as a sex offender.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, BROWN faces 10 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and lifetime supervised release.  The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service.   PACER Case Reference.  16-08
  • JONATHAN GRIMALDO CASTRO, a 23-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, CASTRO 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.  PACER Case Reference.  15-120

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Lynch in Missoula on April 5, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • CHRISTOPHER ISSAC COX, a 25-year-old resident of Butte, appeared on charges of felon in possession of a firearm and possession of stolen firearms.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, COX 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.  PACER Case Reference.  16-07

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls on April 5, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • JASON CHAULK, a 40-year-old resident of Columbia Falls, appeared on charges of theft of government property.  If convicted of the charge contained in the information, CHAULK faces 1 year in prison, $100,000 in fines and 1 year supervised release.  The case was investigated by the National Park Service.  PACER Case Reference.  16-13

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings on March 31, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • SHAWNA RAE WILSON, a 36-year-old resident of Garryowen, appeared on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and use and discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.  If convicted of the most serious charge contained in the indictment, WILSON faces life in prison, $250,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.  PACER Case Reference.  16-36

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls on March 31, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • SUNDOWN WILLIAM NELSON, a 38-year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, NELSON faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and Russell Country Drug Task Force.  PACER Case Reference.  16-23

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls on March 29, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • BRIAN KELLY EAGLEMAN, a 53-year-old resident of Box Elder, appeared on charges of conspiracy to defraud the Chippewa Cree Tribe, scheme to defraud the Chippewa Cree Tribe/wire, and theft from and Indian tribal organization.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, EAGLEMAN faces 20 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Interior Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  PACER Case Reference.  16-22
  • KEVIN DAVID McGOVERN, a 46-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of conspiracy to defraud the Chippewa Cree Tribe, scheme to defraud the Chippewa Cree Tribe/wire, and bribery/offering.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, McGOVERN faces 20 years in prison, $250,000 in fines and years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Interior Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service Office of Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  PACER Case Reference.  16-22

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Lynch in Missoula on March 29, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • NICHOLAS RICHARD AXELBERG, a 36-year-old resident of Lakeside, appeared on charges of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and distribution of methamphetamine.  If convicted of the most serious charges contained in the indictment, AXELBERG faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Missoula HIDTA and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  PACER Case Reference.  16-11

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings on March 28, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • WENDY REINHOLZ, a 59-year-old resident of Molt, appeared on charges of misappropriation of postal funds.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, REINHOLZ faces 10 year in prison, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.  PACER Case Reference.  16-20

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Johnston in Great Falls on March 24, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • AARON DOUGLAS WILCOX, a 44-year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, WILCOX faces life in prison, $10,000,000 in fines and 5 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations and Russell Country Drug Task Force.  PACER Case Reference.  16-23

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Ostby in Billings on March 24, 2016 and entering pleas of Not Guilty were:

  • JESSE MARIO GONZALEZ, a 38-year-old resident of Billings, appeared on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm.  If convicted of the charge contained in the indictment, GONZALEZ faces 10 year in prison, $250,000 in fines and 3 years supervised release.  The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  PACER Case Reference.  16-32

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.

 

Updated April 7, 2016

Press Release Number: MELISSA HORNBEIN, Public Information Officer, (406) 457-5277