Informational: Federal Court arraignments

The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty:

Appearing in Billings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan and pleading not guilty on Dec. 1 was:

Hunter Quinn Braden, 21, of Billings, on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Braden faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Braden was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 20-122.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Dec. 3 was:

Robert Brandon Callison, 31, of Hamilton, on charges of sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of meth to a person under 21 and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most crime, Callison faces a minimum 15 years to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. Callison was detained pending further proceedings. The Missoula Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 20-50.

Appearing on Dec. 2 and pleading not guilty was:

Luis Alberto Rocha, 38, of Bozeman, on charges of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Rocha faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Rocha was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI and Missouri River Drug Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 20-31.

Appearing and pleading not guilty on Dec. 1 was:

Robert John Barker, 49, of Gatesville, Texas, on charges of wire fraud and money laundering. If convicted of the most serious crime, Barker faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Barker was released pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 20-25.

John Gary Yorgason, 48, of Corvallis, on charges of false statement during a firearms transaction. If convicted of the most serious crime, Yorgason faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Yorgason was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 20-45.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Dec. 1 was:

Kristina Dawn Russette, 30, of Spokane, Washington, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Russette faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Russette was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Service and Tri-Agency Drug Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 20-85.

Jeffrey Blaine Dolphay, 40, of Havre, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Dolphay faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. PACER case reference. 20-85.

The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

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