Skip to main content
Press Release

Informational: Federal Court arraignments

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

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 April 19 was:

Joel Zamora, 40, of Billings, on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute meth and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted of the most serious crime, Zamora faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the drug counts and a mandatory minimum five years to life consecutive to any other crime, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearms count. Zamora was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI Transnational Organized Crime West Task Force and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-22.

Appearing on April 20 was:

James Posey Fisher, Sr., 34, of Lame Deer, on charges of voluntary manslaughter. If convicted of the most serious crime, Fisher faces a maximum 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Fisher was detained pending further proceedings. The FBI investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-11.

Orville James McIntire, 20, of Livingston, on charges of illegal receipt of firearm by a person under indictment, possession of stolen firearm and controlled substance user in possession of firearm. If convicted of the most serious crime, McIntire faces a maximum 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. McIntire was detained pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-14.

Appearing in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston and pleading not guilty on April 21 was:

Gordon Lee Connelly, 20, of Cut Bank, on charges of attempted kidnapping, strangulation, assault resulting in substantial bodily injury and interstate violation of protection order. If convicted of the most serious crime, Connelly faces a maximum 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. Connelly was released pending further proceedings. The Bureau of Indian Affairs, Glacier County Sheriff’s Office and Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-21.

Appearing on April 20 was:

Roy Allen Shostak, 28, of Polson, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted of the most serious crime, Shostak faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release. Shostak was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Helena Police Department investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-02.

Christina Westcott, 37, of Great Falls, on charges of possession with intent to distribute meth and heroin. If convicted of the most serious crime, Westcott faces a mandatory minimum five years to 40 years in prison, a $5 million fine and four years of supervised release. Westcott was detained pending further proceedings. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Great Falls Police Department and Cascade County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. PACER case reference. 21-15.

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.

 

XXX

 

 

 

Contact

Clair Johnson Howard
Public Affairs Officer
406-247-4623

Updated April 23, 2021