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 Feb. 23 was:

Eric Kendrick Buchanan, 43, transient, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth, distribution of meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Buchanan faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug crimes and a minimum mandatory consecutive five years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearms count. Buchanan was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-02.

Appearing on Feb. 25 and pleading not guilty was:

Jesus Valdez Martinez Jr., 45, of Bakersfield, CA, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth, possession with intent to distribute meth, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and prohibited person in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, Martinez faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years in prison on the drug counts, and a minimum mandatory consecutive five years to life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearms count. Martinez was detained pending further proceedings. The Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-06.

Chad Henry Swoboda, 36, of Billings, on charges of felon in possession of a firearm and false statement during a firearms transaction. If convicted of the most serious crime, Swoboda faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Swoboda was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 20-47.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on Feb 25 was:

Jacyln Lee Henderson, 35, of Billings, 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, Henderson faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Henderson was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-07.

Nash Devine Angel Ingraham, 19, Browning, on charges of kidnapping, aggravated sexual abuse, strangulation, assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, Ingraham faces life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release. The FBI and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. Ingraham was detained pending further proceedings. PACER case reference. 21-06.

Clayton Cree Morsette, 23, 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, Morsette faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Morsette was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI, Chippewa Cree Law Enforcement Services, Tri-Agency Drug Task Force, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Kalispel Tribe Public Safety Department, Washington, and Airway Heights Police Department, Washington, investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-02.

James Tino White, Jr., 28, of Box Elder, on charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. If convicted of the most serious crime, White faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. White was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 20-88.

Gurpal Singh Gill, 39, of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, on charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted of the most serious crime, Gill faces a minimum mandatory 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Gill was detained pending further proceedings. Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case. PACER reference. 21-05.

Appearing in Missoula before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto and pleading not guilty on Feb. 22 was:

Rastefaye Alpha Neil, 39, of Washington, D.C., on charges of transportation of illegal aliens. If convicted of the most serious crime, Neil faces a maximum of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Neil was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol, and Eureka Police Department investigated the case.  PACER case reference. 21-07.

Appearing on Feb. 23 and pleading not guilty was:

Christopher White, 40, of New York and Jamaica, on charges of illegal re-entry. If convicted of the most serious crime, White faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. White was detained pending further proceedings. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, Montana Highway Patrol and Eureka Police Department investigated the case.  PACER case reference. 21-08.

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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